Daily Devotional for Sunday, February 25

Elisha and the Prophets

“And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat,” 2 Kings 4:42.

“It’s harder to serve God now than it was forty years ago.” Have you ever heard a statement like that? Maybe you have even said it. Certainly things are different. Certainly our children have a greater variety of temptations and fewer positive examples. Technology has amplified our opportunities for sin and distraction. Sports and entertainment constantly scream for our attention. And we all feel the brokenness of our society deep in our bones.

I wonder if this man from Baal-shalisha felt this way. He was a godly man. He wanted to worship God and go to a priest and make sacrifices, but his hometown did not provide for that. He almost assuredly did not have access to the Law, let alone have his own copy. There was no Temple and no place of worship nearby. His neighborhood was full of worshipers of Baal, as well as other local deities. People were corrupt and godless. The best he could do was to travel a long distance, find a prophet and do what he could. Apparently, that was accepted by God. A miracle (prefiguring Jesus’ feeding of the multitude) occurred, and many men were fed through his gift.

Things are broken in our culture. Our children do face things that we did not have to face. God, however, is at hand. Never let the state of fallen humanity become an excuse for not living for God. He can be loved, worshiped and followed today just as strongly and just as closely as ever.

REFLECTION
Yes, you may live in a society far from God, but as a believer, you are in Christ, and He lives in you.

Jason Rutherford