Life Drink

Read 2 Kings 3, 2  Chronicles 21
 
2 Kings 3:14-18 Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 15 Now bring me someone who can play the harp.” While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha, 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water! 17 You will see neither wind nor rain, says the Lord, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals. 18 But this is only a simple thing for the Lord, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab!”
 
THIS is the only time the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom joined against a common enemy. These nations are all from Abraham’s line. But Edom, remember, descended from Esau, Jacob’s brother. God did not choose Esau to be a patriarch of the covenant. His descendants were not the chosen people. Through most of its history, Edom opposed Israel and Judah. And soon we’ll read of God’s judgment on this nation. This one time, though, all three went to war against Moab.
     But they were poor planners! They had no supply chain. Where was the water? How could these three armies forget their most basic need? Desperate for relief, they began to seek God. What do you think? Perhaps they should have sought God’s instructions before they began their campaign. 
     In need of God’s Word, they go to Elisha. Elisha’s reputation as a prophet under God’s power had been quickly confirmed. Elisha’s response was to reject Israel and Edom because of their idolatrous lives. But because Jehoshaphat had pursued a godly life, Elisha agreed to help the three armies. The LORD’s favor is on those who seek and obey him.
   Interesting, isn’t it, the prophet called for music to open his mind to God. Then he learned the LORD will send water to do two things: revive the army and defeat the enemy.
     We can thank God he is willing to reveal his love and mercy even to those who continually reject him. How would we know God if he required us to be fully righteous before we were saved? Israel’s and Edom’s cultures that rejected God’s commands illustrate our sin nature. Our nature is to live in our own desires. Then we go unprepared into each day’s battle against temptation, disconnected from God’s bounteous Living Water. It is only God’s mercies that pour his Living Water into our thirsty souls and saves us.
     God’s Love Story is about God pursuing you to be his own. Do you need to drink from the well of his bountiful love? Are you thirsting for his righteousness? Through the law, the prophets, the epistles, the Son and the Spirit, the Father has revealed himself to you. Are you drinking his truth?