Do you have big prayers? Elisha did. He was the disciple of the prophet synonymous with chutzpah and he learned well from his master. Elisha had the boldness and audacity to ask God for DOUBLE what Elijah had. That’s chutzpah – right there in the ask. And God chose to say yes. But it was His way and His time. Are you finding it hard to trust for a prayer yet unanswered?
What happened with Elisha’s giant request? Depending on who is doing the counting, there are seven miracles of Elijah recorded for us. There are thirteen attributed to Elisha during his life. That’s an amazing ministry – but doesn’t it feel like an almost, a not quite? He asked for double and seems to come up just one short.
Look again, for my God is not frugal. He is extravagant in His generosity and abundance. His gifts don’t stop short and His memory is long. There is a 14th miracle recorded after Elisha’s death:
And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. 2 Kings 13:21
I’m a timid but impatient asker. When I ask for something then right now isn’t too soon for its fulfillment. It’s easy to think God is saying no when He is just on His own timeline. Elisha’s prayer was answered, but not completely until after He was gone. I’ve seen God’s long game and need to be reminded of His perfect timing. You may have seen it, too:
- In a generation of descendants that came to faith after the praying Grandma was gone
- In a restored relationship after decades of silence and estrangement
- Maybe in the missionary history of William Carey who served India for seven years before seeing one single person come to Jesus. Now millions claim Christ in that nation.
I have a timeline. God has a different one. God may be working on my answer before I even pray it – and He will choose to answer according to His own plan. And if it feels like an almost, maybe He’s just not done yet.
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