This is the story of the widow of a prophet in training. He was a member of the ‘company of the prophets’. He borrowed money to train for ‘ministry’. Now he is dead and his wife is in desperate need. She makes an excellent choice: she goes for counsel to Elisha, who has just received the mantle of double anointing from Elijah. She wisely avoi…ds the late husband’s colleagues in the ministry. The company of prophets witnessed the last hours in the life of Elijah and the change of mantle of leadership. But they ’viewed standing from afar’. Like Peter and the rest of the disciples, once the Lord was arrested, they followed the drama from afar. These prophets even tried to discourage Elisha not to follow too closely, lest he will be disappointed. They wanted the title of prophets, of men of God, but they also wanted to ‘play it safe’…
The woman’s husband was in this circle of religious applicants for earthly crowns. He feared the Lord but he feared men too.He was now dead. Nobody knows how many times his wife prayed and wished that her husband will be more committed to God; not just religious; that he will go closer to ‘Oga’ Elijah just the way Elisha has done. Who knows how their life could have been if he was willing to pay the price for ‘the double anointing…’ But he was gone now. No need to pray for the sanctification of a man in the grave. She decides to do what her late husband ignored. She will trust the God who answers by fire and by oil, the God of Elijah and Elisha…and so, the miracle happened…
She heard the story of Elijah, the man who did not die, the man faithful to the last moment, the chariots of fire…She met with Elisha, the only apprentice who came close enough to burn with the fire of Elijah…
(The word to remember is COMMITMENT. It means to be faithful, loyal to the end to somebody who is worthy of your faithfulness; first to God and then to them who open the way and cover your head. When the prophets call you aside, when people hurt you, do you abandon God and go away? No matter how gifted or beautiful, one can be successful without commitment!)
Behind closed doors, far from the greedy eyes of merchants and tax collectors, far away from the rules of the religious ghetto, far away from the lust of the entertainers…she trusted God for life and salvation, for her and children. In the dim light of the Shekinah glory, face to face with God and His mercy, she became a hero and a prophetess; she became free to see the open heavens of Elijah and his chariots of fire…
O, Lord…only You alone know the secret and the power of intimacy and countless stories of unedited miracles that have happened in the kitchens, under the bridges or in the prison cells… To You O, Lord, I bow my knees tonight…
(2Kg 2 and 4)