170 her as the disciples would have hinder ed Bartimeus, hut true faith is persis tent and knows the way to the power of God. Elisha intuitively interpreted her need and responded at once. Gehazi was sent with the staff to lay upon the body of the child. Why? (3) THE HOME BLESSED THROUGH FAITH, vs. 29-37. Necromancers were sent with staves and orders not to let anything touch the staff lest virtue pass. But Elisha knew that there was no virtue in a staff. He wanted to teach Gehazi and this mother in Israel that there was no power in forms, or dead works. The staff of a prophet may be a beautiful thing, but unavailing to give life. Mir acles of the Bible are of might, not magic. Gehazi was as dead as the staff. He had no power to raise the dead, no heart, no faith. He carried out his master’s orders and laid the staff upon the child, but “ there was neither voice nor hearing.” Too often is it true that the church is long on staves,— (mechanical ma chinery, sometimes esthetically beauti ful and attractive) but short on spirit ual life, prayer and faith, and a desire to honor and glorify God. When Elisha himself came to the home he went in, shut the door and prayed. Here you have the secret of the miracle. Was it not so with Elijah (1 Kings 17:20-22) and had not Elisha heard the story? And now he follows the program of his master. So Elisha stretched himself upon the body of the boy. Eye to eye, heart to heart, the warmth of his own life was imparted to the boy. He opened his eyes, then manifested life, begotten a- gain from the dead. Is not this God’s order for us as workers for lost souls? Not by proxy if we •can do otherwise, but by per sonal touch, heart beating for heart, the warmth of the indwelling life of
THE K I N G ' S B U S I NE S S Christ warming the heart of the sin ner by personal contact and prayer. Jesus touched men,— touched their lips, took the young man by the hand and raised him from the bier. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmi ties. He comes near and when we touch Him the warmth of His body gives warmth to ours. Elisha was a type of Christ. He was a servant as Christ was. Our Lord went travelling up and down through out Judea and Samaria, helping, heal ing, comforting, bringing blessings into homes, raising the dead; and so can we if we will. Hearts will be open, homes will be open, our hands can be stow blessings and we can have the joy of service. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) If your home is a house of God, there will be hospitality for God’s ser vants. (2) The making of a real home lies within the power of a real mother. (3) God’s blessings are barred by selfish living. (4) The solution of the problems of God’s providence must be sought in the secret place. (5) God rewarded the hospitality of the home by the greatest of gifts. (6) If you give Jesus the best place in your heart you will have thé richest reward. (7) The joy of practical Christian work lies in the privilege of personal touch with souls. (8) A staff is merely a stick in the hands of a Gehazi. v. 8. Elisha passed to Shtmam. It is a blessed picture to see this man of God walking through the land, possess ing nothing and acting in grace in the midst of Israel’s COMMENTS FROM ruin, poor in- MANY SOURCES deed, while mak- Kelth L. Brooks ing many rich. — Gaebelein. This gives us a strong expression of the ways
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