This video was embedded using the YouTuber plugin by Roy Tanck. Adobe Flash Player is required to view the video.

Scripture
Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.” 2 Kings 4:1-4

Observation
Before reading on, first a disclaimer. I am not a thrill-seeking, miracle junkie who believes that every day holds a miracle. I think miracles are miracles because they are unusual. A true miracle is when God sets aside his normal mode of operating that appears to us to break the laws of nature. Actually, God isn’t breaking any laws, he’s just acting like himself. This surprises us and we call it a miracle. But God is quite relaxed about the whole process. After all, he is God. We are surprised, after all we are human.

Here’s the uncomfortable part for me. Elijah and Elisha get my curiosity aroused. I would be far more at ease to leave them in children’s picture books. But their lives draw me to the risky edge of the miraculous.  These were ordinary men, just like us, yet their lives were filled with surprising events. What did these men do that made room for the miraculous? I could easily hydroplane over these stories and consider them history. But they are reality, written to stretch me to be more open to the miraculous. Here’s a pattern I can see in their miracles of how I can be more of a conduit of the miracle working power of God.

1. Spiritual father. Both Elijah and Elisha were spiritual fathers, who had endured tough times so that they could discern between want and real needs in the spiritual children around them. This enabled them to assess desperate situations to have a sense when God wanted to intervene with the miraculous.

2. Man of God. Both were men of God, whose hearts were closer to what God desires than to their own desires. They could be trusted by God to step beyond just asking in prayer, but declaring the desires of God.

3. Desperation. The miracles came only to needy people in desperate times clinging to the edge of hope. There was no other option left.

4. Creative words. As men of God and spiritual fathers, these prophets did more than pray, they discerned the will of God and spoke with confidence of God’s intentions. Their words inspired people to act in faith and became creative to make room for miracles.

5. Catalyst. There was often a catalyst, some material thing or unusual action, that would release the power of God into the situation.

6. Power. Something about the desperate need, confident faith and the willingness to risk appealed to God and released creative power to work a miracle.

Application
All of this stretches me far beyond where I feel comfortable to act. And yet there is something about these stories that keeps calling me back to reflect more. The big question is, was their style just an Old Testament, prophet thing, or is there any of this in the NT?  So I go straight to Jesus. We find him doing some of the same. Instead of praying over the sick, he often speaks with words of confidence as if they were well. His words were creative words. Peter spoke with words that brought death to Ananias and Sapphira. Paul spoke and Elymus went blind. These were not everyday events, they were miracles. Jesus, Paul and Peter were not ordinary men. They were seasoned men of God and spiritual fathers. And yet their lives disturb me and draw me to live more than an ordinary life.

Prayer
Father, I’m processing still, not because I doubt, but because I know my limits. I’m not Elisha nor Elijah. But the masters motivate me to expect more. Jesus said “greater things than these.” So I lay the ordinariness of my life before you and ask you to do something quite surprising. And because I am so ordinary, if you choose to do something miraculous, anyone who hears of it will know it had nothing to do with me. Do surprising things through the people around me and even through me on occasion. Amen.