"38And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. 39And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. 40So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. 41But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot." (2 Kings 4: 38-41)
In this passage, we see Elisha, a picture of Jesus our Savior, providing something more to the sons of the prophets, men who were training to be like Elisha.
Notice that Elisha commanded them to prepare something to eat. Then they tried to improve on what the Master had already prepared, a picture of men and women adding something to the Good News.
How did Elisha fix the food which they had poisoned? He put something more into the pot. He added something better: meal, or flour.
This flour is picture of Jesus and His Finished Work, which he accomplished for us and we can rejoice in through the Holy Communion. The first mention of meal (Genesis 18: 6), plus the references to the fine flour in Leviticus (1-2), speak of all that Jesus has done for us.
So, what do we draw from this passage?
Growing in grace is not about avoiding bad things. Growing in grace is not about removing bad things from our lives.
Life is about receiving something better in Christ.
We are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18).
We are transformed from glory to glory by looking at Jesus, too (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
I just noticed again that the two verses above are based on 3 and 18.
For now, I want to focus on this revelation: God does not improve us by taking something away.
He causes us to grow by giving us more of Himself:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
We are called to receive and keep receiving the gift of righteousness and abundance of grace.
The first thing I want to do is fix myself.
The first thing He asks us to do is. . .fix our eyes on Himself.
God is all about us giving us something better, which we receive through Him:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
How shall He not freely give us all things with Him?
Now, I am also realizing this part, too. I have spent so much time fighting against what is not true. It is so tempting to fight with the lies. It is much easier to know the truth, for the truth shall make you and me free (John 8: 31-32)
I do not have to put out the lies, when I can just receive the truth.
God is all about giving us something better. He gave us the best in His Son, and there is so much we can receive from Him today.
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