2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
Over the past few years, some leaders who once inspired many have fallen into scandals that have brought harm and confusion to the body of Christ. In moments like these, it’s easy to feel disillusioned or lost, as if the work of God depends on human vessels who have failed us. But I’m reminded of how Elisha responded when Elijah was taken from him. His eyes were not on the departing servant but on the living God. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he cried — not, “Where is Elijah?” That cry holds a lesson for us today: our hope and strength are not in human leaders, but in the God who works through them—and who remains faithful even when men falter.
Elisha’s heart longed for the God who had empowered Elijah–the God who shuts the heavens, calls down fire, feeds the hungry through ravens, and defends His name before kings and nations. Mighty acts of faith marked Elijah’s life because his confidence rested in the Almighty, not in himself. And when his race was run, God’s power was no less present, no less ready to act, no less able to raise up a new servant and continue His work. The God of Elijah is the God of life and death, of judgment and mercy, of fire and rain, of heaven and earth — and He is unchanged today.
When Elisha stepped forward, he met his first obstacle — the swollen Jordan, barring his way. But he did not shrink back. He lifted Elijah’s mantle, struck the water, and cried out, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And the God of Elijah answered. The river parted. The path opened. And Elisha stepped into his calling. So it will be for us. When our Jordans rise up, when leaders disappoint, when challenges seem insurmountable, let our hearts cry not for men, but for the God who never fails.
The God of Elisha revealed Himself not just in mighty acts, but in tender mercies — healing poisoned waters (2 Kings 2:19-22), multiplying a widow’s oil (2 Kings 4:1-7), feeding a multitude (2 Kings 4:42-44), restoring the dead to life (2 Kings 4:18-37), making iron float (2 Kings 6:1-7). This is the God who steps into our kitchens and workshops, our debts and needs, our hidden battles and silent cries. He is as present in the ordinary as in the extraordinary, as near in our weakness as in our victories.
Beloved, today God calls us to lift our eyes from men to Himself. Leaders may fall, heroes may stumble, but the Lord God of Elijah and Elisha remains. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He waits for us to trust Him afresh, to cry out for His presence, to believe in His power — not in our strength, not in human vessels, but in Him alone.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Rockets are flying through the skies of Israel and many are landing on the ground. Emails are also flying through cyberspace as people all over the world express support through prayer for us and our nation. Words cannot express our gratitude for your care and concern. In times like these the best and the worst are brought out in people: either the peace, confidence, and strength which come from faith, or the fear and panic which overwhelms the souls of worldly men.
Since moving to Israel we’ve been thrust into a Middle Eastern culture of “extreme hospitality”. The above parable from Luke takes place in a similar cultural context, and it powerfully illustrates how God wants us to approach Him.
Unless you’re up on your biology, you’re probably wondering, “What in the world is a coney?” I certainly was. After doing a little research, I discovered that a coney is a rock badger.
I ran across a profound story that shows what happens when the family structure breaks down — but this didn’t have to do with people — it had to do with elephants.
As some of you may know, a bomb exploded in a bus within blocks of our Jerusalem apartment when we first moved to Israel. That morning, my wife and I, along with our newborn baby, were heading to the city center to run a few errands when suddenly we heard the explosion. Within minutes, the sirens were screaming from every part of the city as officials quickly made their way to the scene. Later that month, the bus I was supposed to be on drove away as I watched it carry away the 50 or so people who would be critically injured and the 8 who would be dead seconds later, when that bus exploded before my very eyes. So, to put it mildly, we have seen firsthand how terrorism works and how it affects people.
We know a Christian woman who has struggled with her past for years. She rarely thinks or speaks of anything else. And as a result, her life has just spiraled downward, despite all our attempts to minister to her. It breaks our hearts to see.
Today marks Holocaust Memorial day here in Israel. At ten o’clock in the morning on this day, war sirens sound calling the entire Land to remembrance of the 6,000,000 Jews who died and many more who suffered under the Nazi regime during WW2. People in their homes and workplaces rise in silence; cars come to a halt, even on the highways; pedestrians stop where they are and pause… for one minute as the sirens wail, we remember.