2 Kings 2: 9-14
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 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.
He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
A Thought
The Lord takes Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind on a chariot and horses of fire. Elijah had asked what Elisha would like for him to do before he was to leave. Elisha had seen the mighty power that God had given to Elijah, so Elisha’s request was for a double portion of his spirit. It then happened as both of them were walking along together, Elijah departed into heaven on the chariot of fire in a whirlwind leaving his cloak behind. Now Elisha takes the cloak back to the Jordan. When he struck the water with the cloak, it divided to the right and to the left in the same manner that God had done for Elijah. Elisha had received his request to inherit a double portion of the spirit of Elijah from the Lord, the God of Elijah.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for giving each of us your Spirit to enable us to become the body of Christ according to the measure of our faith. Open our eyes of our heart to accomplish our part working together that the world may know and accept your great love and mercy offered through you Son, Jesus the Christ. We ask in his name, amen.
