Elisha - Pt 10

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD. (2 Kings 4:42-44 ESV). This story follows right on the heels of yesterday’s devotional. I hope you will go back and read it if you haven’t already done so. Apparently, the famine is lifting in certain parts of the country, because some farmer has been blessed with a harvest, and has brought the first fruits to the man of God as a way of acknowledging that God is the one who blesses the earth to produce food. Elisha acknowledges the man’s faith by putting it to a further test, instructing him to use it to feed the multitude of hungry people gathered on the hillside. He simply says, “Give it to the people to eat” (v. 43). Again we have a foreshadowing of the events of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Centuries later, as thousands of people gathered to hear Jesus teach on the hillside by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus would echo these words in a similar situation. After the disciples come to him and ask him to let the people go since they have nothing to feed them with, Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” (cf. Mark 6:37). In both situations they are astonished that they would be asked to accomplish such a great task. “How?” they cry. In response, Elisha testifies to the deepest truth of all: the flourishing abundance of Genesis 1-2 did not die in Genesis 3. God is still God, Elisha says, and is capable of taking a humble offering of bread and transforming it into a manna-on-the-Sabbath-like feast that meets both hunger and hope’s deepest longings. They will eat and have some left over. Elisha wants everyone to realize that the fundamental state of creation is abundance. God has declared that “they will eat and have some left over.” This is Jesus’ message throughout his ministry. God’s supply is not limited by either our weakness or his unwillingness. God is willing. In fact, God has already supplied our abundance. There is nothing lacking in the work of Christ. The Apostle Paul details this incredible gift of grace and restoration in his letter to the Roman Christians. Whatever we need is supplied in Christ; whatever we lack is more than given in Christ. I find it interesting that we so often fail to understand the limitless abundance we have in Christ. When our circumstance overwhelms, understand that you can go on. You can take the next step. You can see it through to the glorious end God has already provided and guaranteed to you through Jesus. Take heart today. The end of the story has been written; and, it’s a good ending for the child of God!