_“The Lord called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered “... I was afraid ... so I hid” (Genesis 3: 9, 10)_
In today’s text we read one of the miracles done by Elisha. As the company of prophets increased in number they did not have enough room in the house where they lived and they wanted to build a place. So they decided to go to the banks of Jordan which were lined with bushes and trees, and cut branches from those trees. These branches could be used to build their house at least for rafters and flooring of it, supposing the walls to be built of stone. While they were cutting, the axe-head, that is iron part of the axe of one man flew from the stem and fell into the water. It grieved him to lose his axe because he could do no more work. Not only that. It was not his own but he had borrowed it. Above all, he was poor and not able to pay for it. When Elisha knew of this, he asked the man the exact place in the river where it fell. Then Elisha cut a new branch and threw it into the precise place where the iron fell. As soon as the wood fell into the water, the iron which was underneath came up and floated. He then asked the man to take it out. John Mac Nell has drawn a lesson for us from the lost axe-head. We may lose the sharp axe-head, the power of the Holy Spirit for service, by disobedience, by neglect of the Bible, by neglect of prayer, by neglect of communion, by lack of faith.
Dear friends, if you have lost it go back and look for it. You will find it where you lost it, just there and nowhere else. When you have found the spot where you have disobeyed, yield and obey just there. Do not continue at work chopping with the axe-handle. If you try to do this, you will put in lots of effort but with no results - no chip of wood will fly off at the stroke of the axe. If you have lost the fullness of the Spirit, draw near the fountain of Jesus’ blood to cleanse you from sin and impurity. The Lord will put away your sin and give you afresh of His fullness. Never ever try to live and labor without being filled with the Spirit.
*PRAYER*: Dear Lord, I confess that I have been doing Your ministry without the fullness of Spirit and there is no power in my ministry. All my efforts are futile. As I draw near Your fountain which never dries up, cleanse my sin and fill me let my service for You be fruitful. Amen.
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