"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." 2 Kings 6:5-6
What is something you have currently lost or misplaced? For me, unfortunately, it is my glasses. I have been looking for them, but they have yet to show up. I have been wearing my contacts daily, hoping they will show up soon. You may not have misplaced your glasses, but you may have lost your car keys, cell phone, jewelry, or something else important to you. Losing or misplacing things can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you have looked and looked for your lost item. We all lose things valuable to us at some point, but the good news is that while we tend to lose things, God is in the business of making lost things found.
We read an interesting story in 2 Kings 6. Elisha and a group of prophets wanted to build another meeting place where they could meet. So they came together and began cutting down trees to prepare for this new meeting place. One of the prophet’s axes fell into the river as they worked. He was so worried because he had borrowed the ax. Elisha responded by asking, “Where did it fall?” (verse 6). The prophet pointed to where it had fallen, and something miraculous happened. Elisha took a stick and threw it into the water at the spot where the ax had fallen, and “the ax head floated to the surface,” and the prophet grabbed it (verses 6-7). Now, this may seem like a strange or insignificant story to you, but can you imagine this man’s relief and joy when he realized that he had retrieved this borrowed ax? Through this man’s story, God, through Elisha, proved that He is in the details of finding what is lost.
In 2 Kings 6, God found the borrowed ax, but we know that God finds many more significant things than the ax in this passage of Scripture. Much greater than a lost or any inanimate object, God is after lost human beings. As soon as sin entered the world, separating us from God and eternal life with Him, God set out a plan to rescue humanity. He even sent Jesus, His only Son, to come to earth and die on the cross to save us from our sins.
My friends, God is a rescuing God, and we get to be a part of that rescuing. We get to be a part of helping Him reach the lost. When we share our faith, invite others to church with us, and pray for the people in our lives, we play a part in reaching those who are lost and need Jesus’ hope. So how will you reach out to the lost today?
We get to be a part of bringing those who are lost back to God. Do you have a list of people far from Christ to whom you can reach out? If so, pull out that list. If not, make a list of three people in your life in need of the hope of Christ. Next, pray for these people. Pray that God would be working in their lives and showing Himself to them so that one day they will place their faith in Him.
2 Kings 6:1-6 (NLT)
"One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. 2 Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”
“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”
3 “Please come with us,” someone suggested.
“I will,” he said. 4 So he went with them.
When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. 5 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!”
6 “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."
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