I’m excited today! I want to share that excitement with YOU! Share what, you ask? I was reading in 2 Kings this morning and I had just turned to 2 Kings 6 and began reading about the floating axe head.
If you are not familiar with this passage of Scripture, please read it HERE.
If you remember, Elisha took on Elijah’s position after he had been taken up to heaven in a chariot. Elisha was then blessed with a double portion of the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Kings 6, Elisha was busily training new profits in prophet school when one of his students mentioned the fact that the quarters they were training and living in was just too crowded.
The student suggested the he and the rest of the prophets-in-training go to the river and each cut a beam from which a new dwelling place could be constructed for them to live and train.
Elisha said, “Sounds like a plan, go to it!”
We all know what happens next. One student’s iron axe head flies off the handle and lands in the river. It rapidly sinks to the bottom as iron has a tendency to do when it falls into water.
“Do you self-inspect your spiritual walk with Christ regularly?”
What happens next is what God gave to me this morning to give to you and to use to prepare my Wednesday night sermon!
What do we do when we lose our cutting edge in serving Jesus?
Let’s look at three things in 2 Kings 6:1-6 for a solution:
- The young prophet student lost his ax head making him unable to complete God’s work. Have you ever lost something that made you unable to carry on with your normal routine? I have. I once lost my car keys. It took me over 3 hours to get another one made and get on with my routine. I also once lost my wallet. Not only did I lose the money and credit cards, I had to take the time to cancel the cards and send off for another SS card, driver’s license, etc. I also had to borrow $20 from a close friend until I could get to the bank for more cash. When we lose our cutting edge for carrying out our obligations to God’s kingdom, we become worthless in pursuing God’s work.
- We must identify the exact spot where we lost our cutting edge. Pray in Jesus’ name for help in remembering when you first list the cutting edge and what was happening. Elisha asked the young student, “Where did it fall?” The best way to find something is to remember where you last had it. Did I begin to lose my cutting edge when I quit attending Sunday School? Did I lose it when I started missing church? Maybe I lost it when I thought I didn’t have time to read my Bible daily? Could it be I have allowed sin to dilute my relationship with God? Have I become complacent in my Christian walk?
- When we pray and God points out where we lost our cutting edge, we must do our part to retrieve it! Elisha raised the iron axe head through the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t put it back on the handle. He told the young student to reach out and get it. We must do the same when the Holy Spirit answers our prayer and points out where it was that we lost our cutting edge. God wants you, like the young prophet student, to do your part in recovering your cutting edge for kingdom work!
What if the young student had regularly checked the security of his axe head to the handle?
Do you self-inspect your spiritual walk with Christ regularly?
We are told to do a self-examination to discover our spiritual “fitness” when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Why not do it at the end of each day? If we discover our axe head getting loose, we can tighten it before it falls off and we will not have gaps in our obedience to Christ.
Summary:
- Admit you have lost your cutting edge.
- Pray for guidance to discover the exact place you lost it (and what was happening at the time.
- When God raises it up, reach out and put your cutting edge (axe head) back on the handle and serve Christ!
Until next time!
Zach
QUESTION: PLEASE SHARE A TIME WHEN YOU LOST YOUR CUTTING EDGE AND HOW YOU FOUND IT AGAIN.
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