June 18
2 Kings 4
Elisha saves a Shunammite widow from economic disaster and revives her son from death.
INSIGHT
Elisha's ministry is not startling; it is redemptive and constructive. Elijah was a prophet of fire and judgment; Elisha was a prophet of mercy and compassion. Elijah was a man on the move; Elisha enjoyed a tranquil life at home. Elijah's miracles were destructive; Elisha's were constructive. It must have been tempting for Elisha to want to be like Elijah. But he resists it; that is not what the Lord has for Elisha. He is his own man before the Lord. It is often tempting for us to want to be like someone else, to be dissatisfied with who we are and what we can do. Yet God made us to be what He wanted us to be. We must be content with who we are. It is so liberating. Accept yourself. God does.
PRAYER
Because the Lord made us and cares for us as we are, we offer Him the praise of our lips:
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him? . . .
O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
(Psalm 8:3-4, 9).
Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.
Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Selah
(Psalm 32:5).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.
Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
-- Greater love for your family
-- The work of missions in North and South America
-- Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
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