"...A Still Small Voice"

" When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ' Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.'

" Elisha said, ' Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.'

" He responded, ' You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.'

" As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven."   (2 Kings 2: 9-11)

               The prophet Elijah had lived a full and robust life.  His ministry had been one of miracles, fire, and the sword.  He was a man much like John the Baptist of the New Testament, one crying in the wilderness.  At one point in his time of preaching, Elijah fled to Mt. Horeb, where he asked God to let him die; he felt so alone.  It seemed as if no one was listening.   Instead of granting him his wish, our God taught him a marvelous lesson:  a new way to hear Him speak.  He taught Elijah that His way of getting one's attention may not always be in the gust of the wind or  the tremors of an earthquake, or even in the roar of a fire; instead, God may merely speak in a "still small voice."  God's lesson here is to show Elijah that He, God, uses many methods to call people to do His bidding, not all are "in-your-face" techniques; some require concentration and kindness so that we may hear the "still small voice" of the Christ within.

Elisha, a student of Elijah, was to be his successor when Elijah "left" this world.  Elisha wanted to learn everything from this man of God. He wanted to preach and teach in the same manner as Elijah.  He was so intent on following in his path that he asked an almost impossible request of his teacher;  he asked for a special blessing: a double portion of his spirit!  He wanted to work miracles even as Elijah had done.  Elijah replies that if he, Elisha, sees him, Elijah, leaving this world, he would, indeed, be given a double share of his spirit.   Then one day, as Elijah was taken away to heaven in angelic chariots of fire, his mantle, a cloak of camel's hair, a symbol of Elijah's spirit, fell upon Elisha, and he immediately began to work miracles as Elijah had done before him, but not in the same blustery way.  Elisha's deeds were those more of kindness, compassion, and mercy, more like a "still small voice" rather than the fired-up persona of Elijah. 

               God blessed Elisha just as He once blessed Elijah, even though they were of different temperaments.  Both men wanted to please God and be His emissaries here on earth.  God honored their wishes.  He saw their thoughts; He knew their hearts.  Can God use us as He did these two men?  Does He know our thoughts? our

 hearts?  Are we pleasing to Him?  Do we hear His "still small voice?"

Prayer:  Father, cleanse our hearts and all that is unholy in our lives.  Create in us new hearts, oh, God, that we may do what is good and perfect in your sight.    Thank you, Lord.    Amen

 Nancy Sabo

thesabos@optonline.net