Responding to the here and now…..

Elisha has had to face the loss of his friend and mentor Elijah and now has to learn how to go it alone.

And he is thrown into the deep end immediately.

As he continues his journey through life, he is confronted with situations in which he is called to act.

Firstly, he brings healing to the city’s water supply –

The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

“Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.  2 Kings 2:19-22

And then he brings judgement on those who are mocking him –

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.  2 Kings 2:23-24

From one extreme to the other!

And then, when the king of Moab rebels against Joram, the king of Israel, Elisha’s services are required again. This king of Israel joins forces with Jehoshaphat king of Judah and the king of Edom to fight the Moabites. After a week in the desert, they have no more water. And who do they call for?

Elisha.

He’s surprised.

‘Why don’t you call on one of those false gods your parents were so keen to follow?’

But no. They want him. And rightly so.

So Elisha sends for a harpist. Really? A harpist? How could now be the right time for some music? How random!

His God sends pools of water into the desert to provide for the people and when the Moabites see the pools from a distance, they look like pools of blood and they think the armies have all been fighting among themselves and they rush in and are defeated. In his desperation, the king of Moab even sacrifices his firstborn son – but to no avail. This time, God’s kings will have the victory.

Three very different situations in which Elisha is called to act and react. Called to act with integrity and wisdom and courage. Called to listen and to communicate the truth. Called to be the best he can be in the moment.

I believe this is how we are called to live.

Yes, we have a past. We may have suffered the loss of a loved one, just like Elisha. We may have been battered and bruised by events in our lives. We may be limping along, drained of strength and hope. But all we can bring to whatever situation we find ourselves in today is who we are today. We can be the best version of ourselves that we can be today. That may not be the person we aspire to be or expected to be, because all we can bring is the person full of whatever limitations we have at the moment, but we can be the best we can be within that day’s limitations. I hope this makes some sense. I actually found this concept very liberating when I first grasped it. I’ve always been very hard on myself, judging myself against what I considered to be the very best version of myself and always falling short. Now I can try to accept my limitations of the moment – tiredness, stress, strain, hurt, physical and emotional wellness – and bring the very best ‘me’ that is possible on that day, in that moment.

We also all have a future and can spend a huge amount of time planning for the future, excitedly anticipating when things will be better, wishing our lives away…or the opposite, consumed by anxiety and fear for what the future may hold. Either way, obsessing about the future can rob us of joy in the moment, can stop us from being fully present in the here and now. If we can learn to walk through life, facing each new situation as it comes, thinking about how to act and react in the best way possible in every situation that we are faced with, then we bring all of our available energy to the present.

Of course, all of this is easier said than done. It’s all about practicing mindfulness, which is widely used in therapy for emotional well being – because it works.

I find myself saying to myself and everyone around me (repeatedly, every single day) – ‘There is so much we cannot control about what happens in our lives and to us and around us – the only thing we can focus on controlling is our own reaction and attitude and response.’

I have a feeling this is what Elisha was doing. Trying to serve his God in the best way possible in every situation he walked into – trusting his God for His strength and love and compassion and wisdom and justice and power and grace and forgiveness…..and that never ending list of positive emotions and reactions that we need to draw from every single day.

Anyone remember this one?

I know who holds the future and I know He holds my hand;

With God things don’t just happen, everything by Him is planned.

So as I face tomorrow with its problems large and small,

I’ll trust the God of miracles, give to Him my all!

I know who holds the future. And I know I don’t.

So I intend to make each moment count today by being fully present, by bringing the best that I can give, by trusting and relying on and serving the One who holds the future – the next minute, hour, day, week, month, year, decade…….

Would you like to join me?