As some of you know, Gayle and I recently went to Israel for 10 days. The first 4 days we hiked The Jesus Trail, a 45 mile journey from Nazareth to Capernaum. The next few days we were tourists.
During the trip, some of our group of 9 gave a “faith lesson” at various locations. Gayle presented one at Capernaum. Dolphus Brown gave one at the Garden of Gethsemane. My faith lesson was on the Sea of Galilee, in a boat called the “Faith Boat.”
After fielding several requests (from family members!) to hear the lesson, I am going to try and reproduce it here. Some of this you may be familiar with.
After Elijah’s test on Mt. Carmel, where God demonstrated His power over the prophets of Baal and Asherah by burning the water soaked sacrifice, Jezebel determines to kill Elijah. As Elijah is hiding in a cave, God tells him to locate and anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha responds to the calling, and joins Elijah.
For nearly 10 years, Elijah and Elisha minister together. Elisha sees everything that a prophet’s life entails: the power of God, ridicule, threats, dependence on God for daily sustenance.
In 2 Kings 2, Elijah is nearing the end of his life. Some say this chapter is an account of the very last day. At any rate, Elijah and Elisha are together in Gilgal. Elijah says to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
After arriving in Bethel, Elijah again says to Elisha, “Stay here, the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” Once again Elisha refuses to stay.
At Jericho, Elijah – for the third time – gives Elijah a chance to stay behind. “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And for the third time, Elisha replies, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.”
There is an old Negro spiritual entitled “Deep River.” In it there is a line that says “I want to cross over Jordan.” Jordan is a symbol for the end of life. Crossing over Jordan is crossing over into the next life, into Paradise.
It was at the Jordan that Elijah would be taken up into heaven.
Three times Elijah gives Elisha the opportunity to “stay here.” 10 years prior to this, Elisha responded to God’s call – to succeed Elijah – to take on the mantle of prophet. But now Elijah is giving Elisha the chance to quit. He is saying to Elisha, “You have been called to this ministry, but if you want to step aside and do something else with your life, you can. It is okay.”
Each of us began our journey with Jesus at “point A.” That would be the day we recognized our inability to save ourselves and received Jesus as our personal Savior. “Point B” is the end of that journey – the Jordan. Each of us as His son or daughter has been called to complete this journey.
There are other segments of our lives within this greater journey. For some of us, there is marriage. Point A is the day we vowed “to death do us part.” Point B, obviously, is the death of either partner.
God has called various people to different things – different jobs, different responsibilities. I believe that it is God’s intention that we fulfill His calling – or callings – on our lives. To go from Gilgal to Jordan.
But all along the way, we have the opportunity to exit the highway. It is as if God is saying, “You can stop here and make this rest area your home. You will still live eternally with Me.”
There are countless brothers and sisters who have started in Gilgal intending to make it to the Jordan, but have stopped in Bethel or Jericho. Even the prodigal son was still a son.
Would that all of us had the level of commitment that Elisha had! He knew what kind of life was ahead of him, yet he was determined to fulfill his calling. “As the Lord lives!”
Some of us have traveled this road with Christ for many a year now. We have much invested. There is, in the words of Dottie Rambo, “too much to gain to lose.” We are closer to the finish line than when we started. We have seen more sunsets go over the mountain than we have yet to see. May we be resolute to reach Jordan.
The second major aspect of this chapter has to do with Elisha’s request of Elijah. Elisha asked for a “double portion of Elijah’s spirit.” Elijah replied that it is a difficult thing to ask, but said to Elisha, “if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you.” (2 Kings 2.10)
No one, not even Elijah, knew the exact moment that God would take him to heaven. You see, Elisha could have had his eyes fixed on Elijah for 99.99% of the time and STILL MISSED seeing Elijah at the precise moment of his reward.
Israel is a rocky place. Elijah could have stumbled at the wrong moment, forcing him to look away. Perhaps a gnat was in his eyes. Maybe he needed a drink of water.
The point is this. 99.99% OF THE TIME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH! Our eyes must be fixed on Jesus 100% of the time, or we may be in danger of missing Him, especially in the hour that we live. There are so many voices, so many goats in sheep’s clothing. But Jesus said My sheep know My voice (John 10.27). How crucial it will be that we know His voice in the days to come.
And now, Peter on the Sea of Galilee.
In Matthew 14 we find the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus told the disciples to “go ahead of Him to the other side.”
Point A to Point B. You get in the boat here – you arrive in Gennesaret. It was the will of Jesus that they reach the other side. But a storm arose and battered the boat. Sometime after 3:00 AM, after Jesus had allowed His disciples to battle the storm, He comes walking on the water towards them.
Yes, sometimes we must battle storms. But He promised that we would reach the other side.
The disciples think it is a ghost. No one walks on water! Peter says, “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
Jesus says, “Come.” And Peter becomes the only person that I know of who walked on water. Say what you will about Peter. Say that he was impulsive. Say that he denied Jesus 3 times. No one else stepped out of the boat. No one else.
With his eyes fixed on Jesus, Peter walks on water for a few steps. Then, he allows his attention to leave Jesus and thinks about his situation – the wind – the water. His prayer is simple and short, “Lord save me!” If he had prayed anything longer he would have been several feet under.
Like Elisha, Peter needed to fix his eyes on Jesus. The moment doubt set in, he began to sink. If only we could fix our eyes on Jesus. Fix – once and for all. Never turning away. Never doubting. And like Elisha, Peter had a calling as well. He could have turned aside, and some might argue that he tried to turn aside. But we know the end of Peter’s story. And, I believe that entered that place in life where his eyes were indeed fixed on his Savior and Lord. He finished his race at Jordan.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus – Look full in His wonderful face – And the things of earth will grow strangely dim – In the light of His glory and grace.”
These are more than just words. This is truth.
And that is enough said. For now.