Stay Back, or Stick Around?

Bible Reading Today: 2 Kings 1-4

2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

Goodbye is always a hard word to say...especially when a friendship lasted a long time and many special moments were shared. That's the type of bond that Elisha had with his mentor, Spiritual father & man of God in his life, Elijah. Elijah was a prophet among many, but Elisha was like a son to him. He followed him so closely, and like a son, he may have said, "I want to be just like you when I grow up!" And that's exactly what Elisha asked for! He wanted a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Now a few times before this gift was given, Elijah told him he no longer had to continue on with him. That's because Elijah was about to be taken into Heaven in a chariot of fire! But Elisha stuck with him until the very end. He told Elijah plainly, "I will not leave thee!" in many instances. Because of that persistence, Elisha got to see Elijah be taken up, and therefore got the opportunity to receive that double portion...because Elijah said he wouldn't receive it unless he saw him when he was taken up! Imagine if Elisha decided to stay back instead of stick around...he wouldn't have known he would be able to receive that special gift! When we stay faithful to the man of God in our lives, God truly blesses us! A woman who was in desperate need of a healing for her son (a son she received as a promised blessing from Elisha's ministry) ended up telling Elisha those same familiar words: 2 Kings 4:30 "And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her." I never really noticed this detail before! Much of the same occurences in Elijah's ministry happened in Elisha's! Faithfulness produces faithfulness. Always best to stick around, not stay back!