Today’s Devotion
Topic: Determination For A Double Portion
Text: 2 Kings 2: 1- 6, 9- 10
1 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” Amen
Elisha had a determination to receive “something” (an anointing) greater than His mentor Elijah had. He was not ready to give up the years of sacrifice just to please the desires of his discouraging colleagues. Even when Elijah asked him to take a break, he politely declined; he had his eyes on the goal.
Beloved, for every good thing you set yourself to achieve, you will have many telling you to quit. It isn’t always because they want “bad” for you, but sometimes it’s because they do not understand the reason behind your determination, neither do they see a high chance of success therein. Remember, even Elijah (THE MENTOR), told Elisha “you have asked a difficult thing.”
Nonetheless, Elijah added something else that is great and worth noting; he said “if you see me when I’m taken from you, it will be all yours — otherwise it will not”. This means Elisha’s request was difficult, but not impossible.
So the question is, “had Elisha quit on account of his colleagues urging him to, how would he have seen Elijah being taken? And if he couldn’t see Elijah being taken, how was he ever going to receive the double portion he desired?”
Beloved, meditate on this and begin to pray. Your hope for a greater tomorrow should not die because “discouragers” made you quit today. God wills you at the top; DON’T GIVE UP AT THE VERGE OF YOUR BREAKTHROUGH!
(www.yonghana.org; like our Facebook page: Y OUTREACH NETWORK)
