A Chapter A Day--Just What The Doctor Ordered

For bedtime stories we walk our children through the bible-chapter by chapter until a book is done and then someone suggests the next book. They are pre-teens now and have had opportunity to go through the Bible quite a few times but there are book collections that never cease to fascinate them. One of them is the Samuel-Chronicles series.

The evening readings don't always go the same way. Some days find me reading to a drowsy lot fighting monumental battles with sleep. Other days are relatively lively, and I find myself being bombarded with hard-to-answer questions from all corners of the room. On such days I can hardly get a word edgewise as I'm frequently interrupted with rambling and at times, irreverent commentaries.

Some time ago we got to II Kings and boy, wasn't it a difficult run? My daughter, usually struggling with sleep at that hour, was unusually hyper. At every sentence she peppered me with rapid fire questions. My son, ever the contemplator par excellence, sat across me, his intense stare never leaving me for moment. Every time my eyes rose to meet his I felt like a lab-rat caught in the bright lights of some austere facility.
In between my daughter's excited chirping, he pummelled me with grave commentaries that threw me off .
I kept glancing at my wife for help to no avail. As I grew more desperate, I thought to change tactics so I switched to glaring at her with that look of; How many times have I told you to keep the kids off sugar in the evening?
But I don't think it was working very well. Every time I turned to her, she would just smile, pull her duvet a little closer and pretend to doze off. When we got to 2Kings 2:11-12 the conversation went off the rails.

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.

Daughter: “Dad, do you think it was a good idea for God to take Elijah like that?” Pray friend, how was I supposed to answer such a question?

As I fumbled for an appropriate answer, my son said with (grave) finality, "I don't think it was a good idea."

What is wrong with this boy? I thought to myself.

"Dad, do you think it was a good idea?" my daughter persisted.
Me: "Ahh, you see..."
Meanwhile wife is smiling and pretending to doze off again.
"For me, I don't think it was a good idea." my son interjected.
"Why?" I asked.
Son: (In a very serious tone). "You see, like me now; if God comes for me suddenly and as you know tomorrow... we have a friendly against Cheza Sport FC. Coach is depending on me as the striker. Who will score for our team?"
That evening I came very close to lopping off my own head. By morning however, I had calmed down and I could think more clearly but a nagging thought remained. I just couldn't shake off the feeling that I was missing something important in the children’s ridiculous conclusions. After ruminating over the matter, I came to this realization.
What the Bible doesn't say could just be as important as what it says. In this case the Bible doesn't say much about Elisha-Elijah's loyal servant. The story in II Kings 2 is focused on Elijah. Elisha only comes into view as the clingy apprentice who is clearly in denial. In at least two instances he is asked by different groups of prophets, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
And in all instances his prompt reply is, "Yes, I know, but do not speak of it." (2Kings 2:3&5)
Pray my friend, how many times are we faced with difficult situations but because we are unwilling to face the implications, we whisper to ourselves; "Yes, I know, but do not speak of it." I guess it’s a coping mechanism but does it serve us well?

Needless to say, in Elisha's case, God's word is fulfilled. Just as predicted, Elijah is whisked away to heaven (Like Father Christmas and his reindeer, only a little more dramatically). By the way I hope you don't believe in father-Christmas. And I sure hope that you don’t feed your children that load of lies about him delivering gifts through chimneys. Let it remain the stuff of fairy tales and teach your children the difference between true stories and make-believe. Over the Christmas season, a friend posted, "All men with pot-bellies and without jobs, Quickmart has announced vacancies for Father Christmas" …but now I digress.

In the bible story, Elijah is carried off in a flaming chariot of fire as Elisha is left crying his heart out. Suddenly reality dawns on him. His beloved master is no more.
But the drama doesn’t end there. A group of prophets who had witnessed the whole sequence of events (believe it or not), went up to Elisha and proffered; "Look, we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.
(2Kings.2:16)
Having accepted the truth and finality of God’s word, Elisha discourages them from the venture. But bristling with physical energy and spiritual fervour, they go nonetheless.

So, here's the thing friend. Like Elisha and the prophets, we can unconsciously nurse a spiritual blind-spot that diminishes our perspective of certain realities and their impact on our daily lives. Like Elisha, it is easy to be blind-sided by the issues of life and forget that God's purposes and design flow forward regardless.
Consider this, when the covid pandemic hit in 2020 I observed a number of reactions from different individuals and groups.
-Some (very) Pentecostal ‘prayer-warriors’ immediately pinned it on Satan and went to war(spiritually that is).
-My church 2020 theme was ‘Give Me This Mountain!’ I think God gave us a mountain all right. Only it seems, His idea of a mountain was quite different from ours. In the following year the theme was ‘Destined For The Next Level!’ I gnashed my teeth and only my wife kept me from sending rabid letters to the leadership. In the end 2021 was no less forgiving than 2020. As a congregation our spiritual blind-spot was painfully obvious.
-Today, many people are succumbing to depression and losing hope, but the Bible describes such difficult times as we are living in. It also exhorts us to search the scriptures that we may understand the times. If we did and were willing to accept its message, then we would better understand the curve-balls that life is throwing at us. Our focus would remain on the primary business of the author and keeper of our faith knowing that others before us have endured much more and remained steadfast. Then we would know how to pray and how to ‘shelter’.

To keep from being blind-sided by life's challenges I find it a useful exercise to emulate the great Bible characters.
-Like Elijah who went off into the wilderness when he was depressed, look for time to self-isolate and pray alone in a quiet retreat centre or if possible, in the wilds. Keep it simple and be completely honest with God in your prayers. He is your Father after all.
- Like Daniel who prayed three times a day, seek to average his prayer life. Each day, wake up with a prayer, take a prayer-walk over lunchbreak and have a bedtime routine that includes a prayerful time of studying the scriptures.
- Like Esther who fasted when faced with an impossible situation, abstain from food and drink every so often, and pray. Use that time to bring your most difficult things before the One who gives every good and perfect gift and who doesn't change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).
- Find and groom a prayer partner- someone with whom you can regularly share with and pray about some of your most pressing and intimate needs.

And as they say out there; 'let me tell you Maina', if you do these things you will be clear minded and better equipped to handle the tumultuous times ahead.