Speaker 1: Life Audio.
Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to your daily prayer, where we
Speaker 2: help you find the words you need to connect to
Speaker 2: your Father in Heaven. No matter what is happening in
Speaker 2: your life today, you can trust that God wants to
Speaker 2: hear from you. Right after this short word from our sponsors,
Speaker 2: we'll pray for today's prayer to hold fast when a
Speaker 2: close relationship changes. A prayer to hold fast when a
Speaker 2: relationship changes, written by a Liah Gerard read by Kerrie Eichberger.
Speaker 2: When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, tell me
Speaker 2: what can I do for you before I am taken
Speaker 2: from you? Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,
Speaker 2: Elisha replied, Second Kings two, verse nine. Have you ever
Speaker 2: had a mentor who meant the world to you? It's
Speaker 2: a very special bond that can have an everlasting impact.
Speaker 2: In Second Kings two, we're given the profound portrait of
Speaker 2: an understudy transitioning into his mentor's leadership role. More importantly,
Speaker 2: we see the fierce loyalty and devotion Elisha has for Elijah.
Speaker 2: A pivotal transition like this from one prophet to a
Speaker 2: new one is also seen in two other close Biblical
Speaker 2: relationships Moses and Joshua, and John the Baptist and Jesus.
Speaker 2: It's marvelous how God continues to direct Joshua and give
Speaker 2: him courage and strength after he's commissioned by Moses to
Speaker 2: take over leading the people into the Promised Land. And
Speaker 2: when John the Baptist declares in John one thirty six,
Speaker 2: look the lamb of God as Jesus is passing by,
Speaker 2: John effectively hands off his disciples to the leadership of Jesus.
Speaker 2: The relationship between a leader and a predecessor, or a
Speaker 2: mentor and a mentee isn't always guaranteed to be close
Speaker 2: or fruitful, but God shows us in Second Kings two
Speaker 2: that when He is in it, it's miraculous. When God
Speaker 2: changes relationships by transitioning leaders, he is demonstrating the infallibility
Speaker 2: of his continual salvation. In fact, the name Elisha, rooted
Speaker 2: in the two Hebrew words l God and Yeshua salvation
Speaker 2: means God is salvation. In Second Kings two, Elisha had
Speaker 2: been eagerly followed Elijah in this prophetic ministry for years,
Speaker 2: and he faithfully stays right by Elijah's side wherever he goes.
Speaker 2: In fact, Elisha refuses to leave Elijah three times on
Speaker 2: their way across the Jordan River. Just prior to our
Speaker 2: scripture reference today, Elijah had struck the water with his cloak,
Speaker 2: dividing the river in two so they could cross on
Speaker 2: dry ground. That had to be big shoes to fill
Speaker 2: in Elisha's eyes. In Second Kings two, verse nine, we
Speaker 2: see Elijah, who knows he will be taken away from Elisha,
Speaker 2: asking his loyal friend and follower, tell me what can
Speaker 2: I do for you before I am taken from you?
Speaker 2: And Elisha replies wisely, let me inherit a double portion
Speaker 2: of your spirit. That's like saying, if you must go,
Speaker 2: let me do what you did doubly well, bless me
Speaker 2: abundantly with your spirit. This is an example of someone
Speaker 2: deeply desiring to carry the torch forward out of complete
Speaker 2: and authentic respect for his mentor. Elisha had to be
Speaker 2: feeling some fear or sadness about losing Elijah or about
Speaker 2: being left alone in charge without him, but it's possible
Speaker 2: this request for a double portion of Elijah's spirit was
Speaker 2: Elizhous way of overcoming his fear of change and his
Speaker 2: dread of losing the sacred relationship. So he asked for
Speaker 2: Elijah's strength and believed that he could serve as well
Speaker 2: as his leader. Just to imagine the intense shock that
Speaker 2: struck through Elisha's core in Second Kings two, verse eleven,
Speaker 2: when a chariot of fire and horse disappear between them
Speaker 2: and take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Right
Speaker 2: after this awe inspiring moment, Scripture tells us that Elisha
Speaker 2: saw him no more. Throughout life, our mentors, whether they're coaches, parents, managers, teachers,
Speaker 2: or any other honorable sermons leave us. But throughout the
Speaker 2: course of our close relationship with them, we are given
Speaker 2: the courage and ability to do things we may not
Speaker 2: have thought possible without their guidance. After Elijah is taken
Speaker 2: from Elisha, he picks up the proverbial torch. He proceeds
Speaker 2: to split the Jordan River in health and heal the
Speaker 2: city's water, and in the continuing prophetic spirit of honoring God,
Speaker 2: he declares in Second Kings two verse twenty one, this
Speaker 2: is what the Lord says, I have healed this water.
Speaker 2: Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.
Speaker 2: Missions can change hands, leaders can pass, but in the
Speaker 2: power of a close relationship that is based on honor, trust,
Speaker 2: and faith. God is always with you. Let's pray God,
Speaker 2: thank you for the mentors in my life who have
Speaker 2: guided and equipped me. Thank you for showing me how
Speaker 2: to hold fast their teaching. That's the lasting gift, even
Speaker 2: when the relationship changes or they are gone. It's not
Speaker 2: easy to lose a close relationship with someone I admire,
Speaker 2: Yet somehow they remain in my heart. I hope you
Speaker 2: will always feel me with your courage when I have
Speaker 2: to let go, give me faith to believe I can
Speaker 2: step up and step into a new role when a
Speaker 2: relationship changes, rolls, or hands. I need your wisdom always.
Speaker 2: Please keep guiding me to relationships that inspire me to
Speaker 2: grow better amid all the changes you lead me through.
Speaker 2: And your precious name, I pray Amen.
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