Sing Servant

Sweetwater
by Eleanor van der Merwe

So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water. But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD through him?" An officer (servant in the original) of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah."    2 Kings 3:9,11

Three thirsty kings. The one is silent, maybe paralysed with fear. The second falls into depression. The third at least asks for a prophet. It is a servant alone who knows what is going on spiritually in the land. He knows the prophets, even their families.

He remembers a verse: "As they pass through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs." That's it! The prophet will know what to do. "Let's dig ditches and God will fill it with water."

The prophecy flows, but through a very little channel.

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Alone Not Foresaken
by Eleanor van der Merwe

Now bands of Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, " If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."    2 Kings 5:2,3

How alone she must have been, and that so young. Good thing she got to serve an important woman. Afraid. Not bitter, on the contrary. She is full of sympathy for the general whose bands took her captive. How eagerly she waits for news about him and her country. She still believes in God, though He allowed all of this.

God does it. He heals the foreigner. That is the end of the attacks on Israel, at least for a period. And she? Can she go home now?

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