In this chapter we read of the death of the great prophet, Elisha.

It’s been about sixty years since Elisha was called to be a prophet, and the last time we heard anything about him was at the anointing of Jehu, some forty-five years before Joash (or Jehoash in our translation today) began his reign.

When Elisha became ill, King Joash came to his side. Even though Joash did evil in the sight of the Lord by continuing the worship of Baal, he knew that Elisha was the prophet of God, and he greeted Elisha with the same words that Elisha said to Elijah when he was about to depart, “O my father, my father.”

You heard what transpired between the two men. Had Joash been truly following the Lord, he probably would have fared better with his test of striking the ground with the arrows.

Oh how we limit the blessing of God on our lives when we fail to follow Him with all our heart and soul and mind. It is never a weakness to go all in with God. It is only then when we can be fully used by Him to accomplish all that He desires for us.

As we are about to begin a new year, how about redoubling our determination to be the man or woman of God that He wants us to be? No more compromise. No more worrying about what others will think of us. Let us keep our eyes on the prize.

Your thoughts?