Does God Care? (by Carolyn)

Have you got your coffee? Good! I have mine too. Maybe it will help chase away the cobwebs in my brain!

What are we to make of this little story about the axhead? For you, it may represent one thing, for me another, but if we look deeply into it, and ask God to help us discern His message to us, we will be blessed!

Context! It's critical. Don't you think? Let's look back a bit.

Elisha, whose name means "God is deliverance," was an experienced prophet who attracted others who wanted to learn his ways. He picked up the mantle of ministry from Elijah. In 2 Kings 2:1-18 fifty men watch him carefully. From there, He faces many seemingly insurmountable challenges, yet God enables him. Could it be that the Holy Spirit who empowered Elijah, now empowers Elisha? Yes! But the Holy Spirit works in different ways in different people.

Elisha and the prophets work together. He teaches them by example, word, and discipline to know God's power, His grace, His law, and judgments.


Time passes. Over and over again God reveals His kindness to His people through Elisha. And through a little story like this one, He shows His concern even with the little things; like a borrowed axe. God, through His chosen prophets, cares and can work miracles on their behalf. He delivers an expensive axhead from the deep back to a poor company of prophets so that they can return it. If He cares about a missing axhead and its frightful impact on some poor, honest, poverty stricken men, how much does He care about us? About you? God delivers an ordinary thing in an extraordinary way! The question is why?


I am eager to see what you think. If this story has impacted you, will you tell us how? What are some lessons we can learn that apply to our lives today? What does it tell us about the character of God?