PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson:2 Kings 2:1-12 Elijah and Elisha

Time to reflect: One of the Bible's wilder stories. In its wildness, let us not lose sight of some of the dynamics, including Elisha's love for his teacher and how much he didn't want to let go of him, didn't even want to talk about his death. Such devotion. But Elijah needed to go and he went, and Elisha was distraught.

Moving through the day: Most of us can relate to Elisha's feelings of losing one who is dear to us. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for these people.

Scripture:

When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel."
      But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

  The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
      "Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it."

  Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho."
      And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.

 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?"
      "Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it."

  Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan."
      And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on.

  Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

  When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?"
      "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

  "You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not."

  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.