In a recent read through of Elisha’s story, I was struck by a seemingly throw away moment.
In 2 Kings 6, a group of prophets invite Elisha to come with them to collect logs to construct a new meeting place. While down by the river, a small accident occurs and Elisha springs into action.
“But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!” “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.” (2 Kings 6:5-7)
I can’t even begin to tell you how much this exchange warms my heart. It’s just wonderful. If we don’t slow down in our reading we can miss just how lovely this moment really is.
Consistently in the Old and New Testament, God shows time and time again just how incredible his power is and what wondrous miracles He is capable of. We see a God who creates the entire universe from scratch. God, who can flood the entire earth. God, who can wipe cities off the map. God, who can part an entire ocean to deliver his people to safety. Every book of the Bible, God proves time and time again that he is capable of doing incredible things.
And this comes from a God who wants us to call on him in need. He wants to listen to our needs and desires. He wants to give us good things from his awesome power. At our low moments of desperation, we know we can call on him to deliver us from the impossible.
But he doesn’t stop there.
The same God who altered the waters to rescue an entire nation from the destruction of Egypt also altered the waters so a neighbor could return a borrowed ax.
We follow that same God. The God who hears and answers your big desperate prayers for deliverance also wants to hear your little prayers of small request. He is certainly God of the big and powerful, but he is also God of the small and the simple.
It’s good that we remember to cry out to God in the desperate and difficult, but I would argue that we need to remember to come to God just as readily with the small, everyday requests. He wants them. A God who makes it clear he wants relationship with us and sees us as his children will always want to hear from us no matter the occasion.
It’s no accident that the Bible regularly tells us to pray, to talk to God, to bring everything, yes everything, to him. Everything means everything. Not just the big, but the small as well. Do you know how much more we would be talking to God on a daily basis if we brought him the small as well?
God, help me get to work on time. God, help me not get frustrated with this coworker. God, please help me not burn my lunch this time. God, can you help me find fun in cleaning the house? God, it would really mean a lot if I could run into a friend.
Sure, these prayers are not the stuff of make or break moments, but you know what they are? Relationship building. It’s a simple fact, the more you talk to someone, the better you get to know them. God is no different. He wants you to engage with him so badly and he is overflowing with love to do good things for you.
So yes, bring God your big and your desperate. Call on God for the big mighty miracles he is so very known for. But call on God for everything else too, no matter how small. Get to know him in the big and the small. He will show up and you might just get your borrowed ax back.
”Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.“ (Philippians 4:6)
Let’s find some joy,
A
Avalon Robinson Author 