Amy Kelley, Dir. of Outreach (Gethsemane)

2 Kings 2:6-14 (for a better understanding, read verses 1-14)

6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So both of them went on together. 7 Fifty members from the group of prophets also went along, but they stood at a distance. Both Elijah and Elisha stood beside the Jordan River. 8 Elijah then took his coat, rolled it up, and hit the water. Then the water was divided in two! Both of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you before I’m taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Let me have twice your spirit.”

10 Elijah said, “You’ve made a difficult request. If you can see me when I’m taken from you, then it will be yours. If you don’t see me, it won’t happen.” 11 They were walking along, talking, when suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm. 12 Elisha was watching, and he cried out, “Oh, my father, my father! Israel’s chariots and its riders!” When he could no longer see him, Elisha took hold of his clothes and ripped them in two. 13 Then Elisha picked up the coat that had fallen from Elijah. He went back and stood beside the banks of the Jordan River. 14 He took the coat that had fallen from Elijah and hit the water. He said, “Where is the Lord, Elijah’s God?” And when he hit the water, it divided in two! Then Elisha crossed over.

 

Reflection:

There were, and still are, some amazing cooks in our family. My Grandma, with her cute apron, could make the best biscuits, the best peach cobbler, the best sock-it-to-me cake, and the best homemade chili. I could go on and on, but this is just making me hungry. What was just amazing is that my Grandma’s delicious food seemed to have that extra something special. Was it an extra pinch of cinnamon? Could it be that she let the dough rise an extra 15 minutes? We would never know. I never saw her using a written recipe. She cooked from memory. From her soul. From her heart. If we all wanted to know how to do that, we had to watch her. She’d say “come help me, baby” or “here, sit a spell”. There’s an old phrase about cooking: put your foot up in it. In Black American English, this phrase is used to compliment excellent cooking. It means a meal is remarkably cooked with that extra supernatural something. Well, that supernatural something was passed down to my dad, aunts, and uncles. They ALL can cook like nobody’s business. It’s not in a cookbook or written down. The spirit, the soul, the commitment to joy was passed down through being in Grandma’s presence.

 

After many challenges to Elijah’s ministry and confrontations with soldiers, he had become exhausted and burned out. 2 Kings 2 tells us that it had come time for Elijah to let the Lord take him to heaven. Elisha had been chosen by God to be Elijah’s successor. In verse 2, scripture tells us that Elisha never wanted to leave Elijah’s side. Elisha followed in Elijah’s footsteps every chance he had. He insisted on this as it say in verse 4. He wanted to soak up knowledge and hoped to have “twice the spirit” that Elijah had. Just as we always wanted to stay in Grandma’s kitchen to watch and learn.

 

When it came time for Elijah to depart and leave Elisha for good, Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha before he leaves him. That’s when Elisha asks for twice Elijah’s spirit. But, I find Elijah’s response (and maybe a reminder) so fascinating. He says, “If you don’t see me, it won’t happen.” Well, when that time came for the Lord to take Elijah, Elisha watched him and didn’t take his eyes off him until he could no longer see him. Then Elijah’s spirit settled on Elisha. We watched Grandma cook to see the unique way she shared love through food. We can read a recipe or read the bible, but if we don’t watch each other or walk with each other, we just might miss seeing the Spirit at work.

 

 

Prayer:

God with an amazing apron,

Thank you for being in the kitchen and asking us to watch. You surround us with your Spirit in so many ways. Help me to look up from my phone and walk with people. Help me to get out of my own silos and walk with people. Help me to not JUST read the recipe or the bible but watch and learn how it’s done. How to love. How to be a part of everyday miracles. How to take on the apron or the mantle of love, hope and wisdom. How to be twice the blessing to the people in my life. I am so thankful for the aprons, mantles, recipes and teachings that are passed down.

I love you. Amen.