信仰の手引き（英語・English）
Prophet Elisha and The Sons of The Prophets
投稿者
goodnews2
投稿日
2024-04-12 22:24
閲覧数
32
Dropping Ax Head into the Water
In 2 Kings chapter 6 in the Bible, it talks about the prophet Elisha and the sons of the prophets. One day, one of the sons of the prophets said to Elisha.
“Prophet, this place has become too small for us to stay. Let us go to Jordan and build a larger chapel.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
Hearing the prophet’s answer, the other sons of the prophets said.
“It would be better if you can come with us, prophet.”
“I will go with you.”
The sons of the prophets went to Jordan with prophet Elisha. While cutting down trees by the lake, one man cried out.
“Oh, prophet! The ax head fell into the water. What should I do? It’s a borrowed ax!”
“Where did it fall?” asked Elisha.
“Right here, master.”
Elisha cut down a stick and threw it in the water. Then the ax head floated to the surface of the water.
“Take the ax out.”
The son of the prophet did as Elisha said, reached out his hands and took it.
The Son of the Prophet Who Dropped the Ax Head
Long ago, people used axes to cut down trees. An ax head made of iron was attached to a long wooden handle, and while using it, the heavy ax head would often become loose and fall off the handle. The experienced user could feel this as they used the ax. They can feel, ‘the ax head is a bit loose right now, it might fly off if I use it one more time.’ However, someone who is not experienced would not be able to tell the difference until the ax head falls off. Perhaps the one who dropped the ax into the water was inexperienced. It must have been very distressing for him to lose a borrowed ax. But fortunately for him, the prophet Elisha was with them.
Prophet Elisha is Here
Prophet Elisha was old; he did not have to do manual labor to build a chapel. The sons of the prophets could have said “Prophet, we will go on our own and work hard to build it. You should stay and rest here” and gone ahead by themselves. However, they asked the prophet to go with them. When they said, “Please come with us,” they meant, “Prophet Elisha, the servant of God, must come with us. We are so lacking and need your help.” They had been through difficult times before and each time they received help from the prophet Elisha which is why they wanted to be with him.
As we live our lives, we cannot be good at everything. Moreover, we cannot predict when a disaster might occur or what problems will arise. Therefore, the most important thing is to be close to God.
If Jesus were Here
One time, I received word that a certain brother was diagnosed with cancer and in critical condition. When I visited the hospital, he was lying in bed motionless, his wife and mother had their heads down and tears were running down their faces. Then, a thought struck me.
‘What would happen if it was Jesus who came into this hospital room instead of me?’
I believed that if Jesus were here, He would preach to the brother and surely save him. And soon I had the heart thinking, ‘Jesus is within me. Then He will save this brother today.’ I spoke the brother with a loud voice.
“Hey, brother Kim Chung-hwan, look at me.”
The brother opened his eyes to look.
“The doctors are saying you have maybe two, three days left to live. But if Jesus were here, would He leave you to die? Would he turn a blind eye to your wife and mother’s sadness? Jesus is in me. He is in you, too. If Jesus works, this cancer of yours is nothing.”
I talked with the brother for a while longer and left. Not long after that day, I received a call from him. He said that he had recovered from cancer and was getting discharged from the hospital.
A Person Who Shares Their Heart with God
I have not seen an ax rise from the water, but I have experienced countless times when God accomplished the impossible, including healing the sick and solving difficult problems. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to think such a God is with us.
The important thing is to become a person who shares their heart with God. We can discover the heart of God while reading the Bible, and when our thoughts differ from the Word of God, we can experience God’s power if we abandon our thoughts and move forward believing in His Word.
