ASK…

2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.”

Whoa! Elijah wasn’t dying BUT his man Elisha was going to be without him none the less. A man whom he watched and waited on, a man who was given amazing powers to care for the people of Israel. A man whose shoes Elisha was going to try to fill.

A man who just finished making a path through the Jordan river. Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:8)

A man who was preparing Elisha (and Israel) for a time such as this… life going on without him. A man, I believe, who wanted NO grief or fear left behind because of his passing.

Ask, Elisha!

So. he. did.

2 Kings 2:9 And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

What God has done in and through your life… I want a double dose!

2 Kings 2:10 He (Elijah) said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”

Seeing is believing? What you see is what you get?

2 Kings 2:11 As they were going along and talking, (life didn’t stop while they waited for THE EVENT) behold a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

Did you see it Elisha?

2 Kings 2:12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more.

What does one do with that?

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. (2 Kings 2:13)

What must have been going through his mind?

He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And he also (wait for it) struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. (2 Kings 2:14)

Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?

When Elisha struck the waters… he was saying, RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!

And when Elisha “crossed over” he was saying, “He’s my God now!”

2 Kings 2:15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. (FYI this was not worship it was acknowledging the office of Prophet of God)

Now, MOST of us do not hold the Office of Prophet. And a significant number of us would not CLAIM a relationship with God that even comes close to the kind Elijah had with Him.

For MOST of us, death comes BEFORE the chariot of fire and horses of fire are sent for our spirit. And, the great majority of us are barely able to contend with our own lives such as they are, without mentoring those who wish to be our mini me’s.

But if we could be like Elijah… “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.

Or if we were as observant as Elisha… “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

Would we have the AUDACITY to ask for such a hard thing?

In times of the grief of “loosing” our loved ones or the time of preparation when we are the one they are loosing, we seek… ?COMFORT… ? MORE time… ? LESS suffering… ???

What will I Ask…

How about a DOUBLE PORTION of THEIR relationship with God?

Can I observe a relationship so strong with their Lord and Savior it makes me JEALOUS of their friendship?

Am I aware and IMPRESSED by the miracles God has done in and through their lives.

When I look behind the curtain, into the spiritual, do I see the chariots and horses of fire – the limos being ordered and prepared for every believer whose name is written in The Lamb’s Book of Life?

Am I telling us that we can not grieve? Am I demanding that we show no concern for the present state of affairs? Am I imagining that a relationship with God (even the best of the best) means blood, sweat and tears are minimal?

MAY IT NEVER BE!!! Both Elijah and Elisha were human… they suffered, sweat and cried… they were prone to fear just like us… they enjoyed and counted on the company of their earthly companions.

All I am saying (not the song) is SHOW & TELL like Elijah and Elisha did…

Elisha was told that IF he SAW the REAL DEAL, his request would be given… a DOUBLE PORTION of what God could and would do.

It worked so well for himself, that later on he used the same blessing for his servant, who was caught up in fear. “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”(2 Kings 6:15)

Don’t let the scary times of today, keep you from fighting the good fight of faith! “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)

2 Kings 6:17 Then, Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eye and he saw; and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Elijah KNEW his God and he passed it on to his mini me…

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

YEAH!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For those brothers and sisters in the Lord, whom we KNOW see beyond the thin veil of this temporary place, please… Ask what you shall do for us before you are taken from us.

For those of us who are temporarily left behind… ask the “hard thing”… “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 

Let’s ASK… Let us ALL pray…

Ephesians 1:18-19 (we) pray that the eyes of (our) heart may be enlightened, so that (we) will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.