THE WOULD-BE WOODCUTTER

I spent one summer holiday cutting, stacking, selling and delivering firewood. It was a hard job, so I have sympathy for the unfortunate logger in today’s story.

Elisha’s school for prophets had grown, and their meeting place had become too small. Someone suggested they go into the woods, cut logs and make it big enough to fit the whole class. Elisha agreed and went with them. Things were going well until someone’s axe head fell into the water (2 KINGS 6:5).

Some people have suggested that Elisha simply prodded about in the water with his stick until he found the axe head and dragged it into sight. That would hardly be worth mentioning, however. No, it was a miracle: the axe head was lost according to God’s plans and began to float by His power so the logger could get it back (VV.6-7).

The simple miracle teaches us a powerful truth: God cares about the small things in life—lost axe heads, lost homework, lost glasses, lost phones—the little things that cause us to worry and stress. He doesn’t always give us what we have lost, but He understands and can be fully trusted with each and every issue we face. He will be at work in everything and provide for us in ways we
never expected.

Next to the confidence of our salvation, being confident of God’s care is essential. Without it we would feel alone in the world and overwhelmed with every worry. It’s good to know He cares and is involved in our every loss—small as they may be. Our concerns are His concerns.

Thinking it over . . .

What ‘little’ things are troubling you that you can cast on God right now? How does it encourage you to know that you can be confident in His daily care and love for you?