Double Portion

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." So he said, You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven and Elisha saw it. 2 Kings 2:9-12 (NKJV)

If I have a weakness..."OK, I'll admit it--I love ice-cream!" Now it is out in the open to my everlasting shame. As a kid, I never settled for one dip of ice-cream if my parents allowed me to get two. (A double portion) I figured if one dip tasted great, I could not go wrong with two dips. That was before age caught up with me and I had to start counting calories. It is hard to settle for less when you know that more has the possibility of being significantly more significant.

That is certainly true when it comes to spiritual matters. Jesus said, "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled!" This almost sounds like Jesus is understating the case, because without an appetite for spiritual food a Believer will become weakened and begin to develop an appetite for other "things." People do not lose their faith in a moment of weakness, because God covers us with His grace. It generally takes years for the spiritual life to be eroded, and in the process, the void is filled with new values, new ideas, new habits, a new perspective of life, and a new self-made religion of sorts. No wonder the Apostle Paul warned us to take "captive every thought."

On a more pro-active note: I really do not need to worry about my spiritual life eroding if I am seeking God with my whole heart. As long as Jesus remains my first love--the driving force--the great passion--my dearest friend--my Lord, God and King, I know that everything in life is working out for my good as God directs my steps. Please note the following: I am not interested in seeing how close to the fire I can dance without getting burned--I am interested in receiving a double portion of God's blessing and walking hand in hand with Jesus until I hear His voice say, "Welcome, thou good and faithful servant."

Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, I know that You remember the prayers of my childhood, where I prayed that You would never let me slip away from You. In the intervening years I have heard the voice of the enemy calling to me--I have felt the pull of things that appeal to my flesh--I have experienced what it is like to swim against the current of the pop culture that surrounds me. It has all served to prove that I need You in my life. You are the Rock on which I stand! Amen"