Reading through the Old Testament is hard. This is my second attempt at it, and I just recently finished 2 Kings. I would much rather read the New Testament over and over, but I would say it is probably unwise to neglect the rest of the Bible just because it isn't as interesting. In an attempt to better understand the information that I've digested from 1 & 2 Kings over the past weeks, I'm going to share a little of what I've learned.
"You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there."
- 1 Kings 17:4
In this verse, God promises to provide Elijah with food and water. It is such a simple verse, but it came at a particularly important time for me. You see, it's not always easy to trust God with everything. I tend to look to other sources for provision. Sometimes that source is my parents or my friends or something that I hope will come in the future. No matter what that source is, it should always be secondary to God. I'm not good at remembering that or applying it to my life, but I needed that reminder. God was able to provide for Elijah using a raven, and God is able to provide everything we need in more spectacular ways than we can imagine.
2 Kings 6:1-7
In this passage, God (through Elijah) makes an axhead float. In the story, a group of men are cutting down trees when the axhead fell into the water. This seems very insignificant, but it should not be overlooked. God cared enough at that time to make the axhead float so that they could continue what they were doing. This shows that God notices what happens in our daily lives, and He cares. In this case, He cared enough to make their lives easier by doing the impossible. Not only does He care, but God is willing to work miracles in our daily circumstances. Never be afraid to ask God for something extraordinary even if the situation seems insignificant.
2 Kings 20
In this passage, God tells Hezekiah that he is going to die. Upon receiving this message, Hezekiah asks God to heal him and to extend his life. God agrees and adds fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. When I read that Hezekiah asked God to change something that had already been decided, I was surprised. Part of me thought that it was rude. God had decided his time was up, but Hezekiah asked for a change of plans. I doubt I would ask God for that sort of change, but maybe God wants us to ask Him to do greater things. I'm not saying we should challenge what God has declared. What I am saying is that maybe I should challenge more of what life throws at me. I tend to think that I'm meant to go through a challenge if it has been brought to my doorstep. What if I started asking God for miracles in these circumstances? What if I challenged life a little? It would give God the opportunity to show me more of Himself, which would increase my faith. It may even make life a little easier at times. I know we aren't called to live easy lives, but I think God wants us to ask for His help sometimes. This may just mean that our circumstances are less of a final verdict than I originally thought.
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