Fri.’s Devo - God’s Leadings

Read: 2 Kings 6:1-7:20; Acts 15:36-16:15; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 17:24-25 Elisha’s miracles were so diverse. Today we read where he makes a borrowed ax head float by throwing a stick into the water. Next he’s telling the king the enemies’ secrets. When the Aramean found out he sent his officers to seize Elisha. Elisha’s servant walked outside the next morning to see their camp surrounded by Aramean soldiers and chariots. When he told Elisha, Elisha just prayed that his eyes would be opened and sent him back to look again. This time the servant saw the Lord’s army that had surrounded the Arameans. Elisha prayed that the army would be blinded and they were. He led them straight into the capital city of Samaria and prayed that their eyes would be opened. He had Israel’s king feed them and sent them home. Later, they came back and besieged Samaria and tried to starve them out. It was working. A woman came to the king and told him the story of having to eat her own son. The king had to do something, so he blamed the whole problem of the kingdom on Elisha. He sent men to kill him but instead Elisha told the messenger that tomorrow 6 quarts of flour would cost only one piece of silver and 12 quarts of barley would sell for only one piece of silver. The man commented that even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven, he didn’t believe it would happen. Elisha told that man that he would see it with his eyes but not eat any of it. There were 4 lepers who were starving so they decided to go to the Aramean camp and surrender in hopes that they would give them something to eat. When the got there, no one was there. God had caused them to hear the sound of speeding chariots and a great army approaching so they all ran in fear, leaving all of their food and supplies behind. The four men went from tent to tent and realized there was so much they needed to share it with the people of Samaria. They went and told the gatekeepers what they had found. The king sent men to investigate and found out it was true. When the people found out, they stormed the gates and just like Elisha had predicted, flour and barley sold for one piece of silver. The messenger who didn’t believed was trampled in the gate so he saw, but never tasted. God cares about a borrowed ax head and he cares about a starving nation. God cares about every detail of our lives and also of our nations fate. We can trust in Him to come through for us. In Acts, Paul told Barnabas that he wanted them to go back to the churches they had started and see how they were doing. Barnabas agreed and wanted to take John Mark with them. Paul disagreed since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia on the first trip. Their disagreement was so strong that they separated and Barnabas took John Mark and sailed for Cypress and Paul took Silas and traveled toward Syria and Cilicia. Paul went first to Derbe and then Lystra where he met a young disciple named Timothy. Paul wanted to take Timothy with them. Since Timothy’s mother was a Jew, Paul suggested that he get circumcised which I don’t understand. They went from town to town encouraging the saints. The Holy Spirit kept them from going to Asia at that time. Paul had a dream which led them to Philippi in Macedonia.There they met a wealthy business woman named Lydia. She listened to their preaching and her whole family was baptized. She put Paul and Silas up in her home. I wonder how Barnabas and John Mark’s mission went. We have no written account of it but I’m sure they were led like Paul and Silas to just the right cities. Lord, thank you that your work goes on in spite of us and our humanness. Thank you for provision in famine, and salvation in the midst of persecution and opposition.