Recovering The Cutting Edge
II Kings 6:1-7
1And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. 2 Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” 6 So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. 7 Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.
Have you ever lost something that seemed to be unrecoverable? In our Christian walk there may be times when it may seem that we've lost something, (like the ax head in this text) that is unrecoverable! Maybe at one point you felt you were on this high spiritual mountain! There was a closeness to the Lord that you once had, but now is gone. You had a deep faith but now doubt has crept in and maybe even sin has taken root? You were once this spiritual giant! But now It feels like the person you once were may be gone forever?
This thought is is echoed in that old Michael W. Smith song "Missing Person" which reads:
There was a boy who had the faith to move a mountain. And like a child he would believe without a reason. Without a trace he disappeared into the void and I've been searching for that missing person.
The good news in Gods Word and the point of this passage is that God still works miracles and is able to recover that which may seem lost for good! So today, if you are currently in that place where you feel that once you were on the cutting edge of your spiritual walk with the Lord but now that edge is gone, take heart! Be encouraged because the path to restoration is laid out in these verses which are:
Recognize, Realize, Remember and Repent!
The first step is to "recognize" that which is lost is gone! Maybe there was once a zeal that you had for the Lord but now your love for Him has gone cold! Apathy has set in your heart! Recognize that! Be honest before the Lord as to where you find yourself!
Secondly, "realize" that even as the ax head in the text was borrowed even so to whatever gift, talent or spiritual ability that you may have is too, only borrowed! Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 4:7, "And do you have that you did not receive?" John the Baptist states in John 3:27, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven." Often if pride begins to set in the Lord may take away that which we think is ours to remind us that in the end everything we have is all His!
The next step is to "remember" where you lost your edge? Elisha asks, “Where did it fall?” Jesus to the Ephesian Church says, "remember from where you have fallen..."(Revelation 2:5). After recognizing that which you had is gone, and realizing that it was never yours to begin with, is to go back to where you initially lost it. Where you once excited for the things of God? Did you find yourself waking up early to read your Bible and pray? Were you regularly attending fellowing with other believers? Whatever you were, remember and go back and do those things again!
Which brings us to the last step, which is "repent". True repentance must be exercised! Repentance is not only turing away from something but its also turing too something! True repentance will always be characterized by action! Elisha after causing the ax head to float by throwing the branch into the river (which is a type of the cross) instructs this man to “Pick it up for yourself.”(Verse 7) God through His Word and by His Spirit will cause truth to surface, but it is still our responsibility to go back to where we lost it and "Pick it up for yourself."
Johnathan Montano
