August 25                                       1 Cor 7 - 9

PASSIVE PARTICIPANT

MEMORISE: 'And Elijah came unto all the people, the said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.' (1kings 18: 21)
READ: 2 Kings 2:1-15

At the Beautiful Gate, a crowd had gathered. They were amazed over a well-known cripple who had just been healed. While the crowd enjoyed the sensation of the moment, only the cripple received a miracle that would change his life. On the way to Jericho another crowd had gathered. This time, Jesus and the blind Bartimaeus were at the center. Everybody was amazed that the blind man was healed, but only Bartimaeus received the miracle.

In every gathering, there are always different categories of people. There are the people who testify about what God has done for them. They are the active participants. Then there are people who listen to those testimonies. They are the passive participants. Both groups are buys: one testifies, the other watches.

At the gate of Samaria, after God had provided bountifully and reversed the siege, many were experiencing the miracle for themselves. The counselor of the king, however, chose to remain an onlooker. He kept looking in amazement, until he got in the way of those rushing to collect the bounty, so they trample him to death. I choose not to be an onlooker, but an active participant!

From today's passage, we see that the prophets knew that God would rapture their great colleague Elijah. Rather than see how they can benefit from, the sons of the prophets stood at a distance, watching. Elisha, however, refused to be an onlooker. He decided to be an active participant. So he persevered until they had crossed the river Jordan. Elijah asked Elijah what he wanted, so Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's anointing, and got it. By the time he returned, the other prophets immediately saw the difference in him and bowed down before him. Onlookers cannot achieve their goals. They remain servants forever. Leave that group today, and join the active participants.

ACTION POINT
Tell the Lord that you're tired of being an onlooker. Ask him to make you an active participant. Ask him to guide the church leadership in their decision-making.