Small People

The story that comes just before this one is about a great man, a highflier, a Very Important Person: Naaman, the commander of Syria’s army (2 Kings 5). And the passage that immediately follows is about an even more important person: Naaman’s boss, the king of Syria himself (2 Kings 6:8–33). Both men have corner offices, fly first class, and live in gated communities. They’re big deals.

But not the people in this story. They’re referred to as “the sons of the prophets,” a group gathered around a prophet such as Elisha, learning from him and serving him. These are the guys who work in a cubicle, fly economy, and live where the houses are small and close together. They’re not famous or important — in fact, we’re not even told their names.

And yet this passage tells their story. In between the internationally significant narratives of a great military leader and a famous political leader is an episode about no-names involved in a purely local affair. This surprising interest in small people seems to have been a recurring feature of Elisha’s ministry (see the stories in 2 Kings 4). It’s also a hallmark of the larger biblical story (notice, for example, the focus on unnamed minor characters throughout the Gospel of Mark).

What’s more, the Bible doesn’t just show an interest in small people for whom things are going well — people who might be a net gain, even in their own small way. Rather, it demonstrates genuine care for small people with problems. That’s certainly the case for the sons of the prophets in 2 Kings 6. In fact, they have two problems.

Small Problems

The first problem is a housing issue. “Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us’” (2 Kings 6:1). I get this. Several years ago, with our kids getting older, our house felt cramped, so we moved to a larger one. I wouldn’t deem our housing needs worthy of inclusion in Holy Scripture. Maybe the sons of the prophets felt similarly. But here’s their story — in the Bible. Apparently, the small problems of small people matter to God.

In this case, the sons of the prophets come to Elisha not just with a problem, but with a proposed solution. “‘Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.’ And he answered, ‘Go’” (2 Kings 6:2). Sometimes God meets our needs through miraculous means (he’ll do that in this very story). Other times he helps us through our own activity. Elisha doesn’t make a new house appear out of thin air. Instead, the sons of the prophets mount a logging expedition and build a house.

God often works this way. According to Jesus, God feeds the birds of the air — but as one of my seminary professors used to say, you don’t see birds lying on their backs, waiting for God to drop worms into their beaks. He feeds them through their own worm-finding efforts. Yes, God can provide manna from heaven and bread by raven (1 Kings 17:3–6), but his normal means of provision is our own hard work (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

The second problem involves a lost axe head. “But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, ‘Alas, my master! It was borrowed’” (2 Kings 6:5). Of course, this is a tiny issue in the grand sweep of things. But when a problem happens to us, we don’t feel that way about it. When it’s our injured leg, our dented car, our negative job review, our extended sickness, the comparatively small problem can feel big. The unnamed man in verse 5 “cried out” — a term connoting real distress. He cries out, “Alas!” He can’t afford to replace that borrowed axe head.

Yes, it’s a relatively small problem — but not to him. Will God even notice? Look what happens next.

Small Miracle

“Then the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, ‘Take it up.’ So he reached out his hand and took it” (2 Kings 6:6–7). The description of Elisha as “the man of God” reminds us that Elisha, though a prophet, is a man. He needs to ask where the axe head fell (apparently, the miracle doesn’t include actually locating it!). But the term “man of God” also reminds us that Elisha represents God, speaks for God, does miracles by the power of God. God himself, in the person of his prophet, is involved in this small miracle.

Elisha throws a stick into the water; the axe head floats. We’re not told why a stick is used, but this is undoubtedly a miracle. Iron doesn’t float. As miracles go, it’s a small one. No one is raised from the dead. The fate of a nation doesn’t hang in the balance. There are few witnesses. Even the ending of the story is undramatic. “And he said, ‘Take it up.’ So he reached out his hand and took it.” That’s it. End of story.

So, here’s a summary of this little story: Some small people have a couple of small problems, and God meets their needs — in one case through their own planning and effort, and in the other through a small miracle. Maybe the story doesn’t seem all that important, yet I’m glad it’s in the Bible. It demonstrates that God cares about us and our everyday problems. He acts on our behalf. If we’re attentive, we’ll see that in our own lives.

No Prayer Too Small

I’ve seen God act this way in my own life. I’m a pastor, and a few years ago, I agreed to lead a graveside service for the deceased brother of a friend who lives in town. My friend isn’t a follower of Jesus, so this seemed like a great opportunity to serve him and deepen our friendship. The service was scheduled for 1:00, but somehow, I got it into my head that it began at 1:30. That day, I drove to the cemetery and arrived at about 1:20, thinking I was early. But as I walked toward the grave, I saw many cars and a crowd of people. I looked at my notes, discovered I was in fact twenty minutes late, and felt sick to my stomach.

Surprisingly, though, as I neared the grave, I saw pallbearers pulling a coffin out of a hearse and carrying it toward the grave. My friend greeted me and told me what had happened. An out-of-town funeral home had driven the coffin to the wrong cemetery in our town. A grave had been dug at that cemetery for a different funeral the same day, and they had lowered the coffin into that grave. It took time to discover the error, get the coffin out of the grave and back into the hearse, and drive it to the right place. In fact, it took them twenty minutes. Which meant I arrived right on time. I believe that was the work of God. He knew every little detail, cared for me, and prevented an unintentional offense against my friend. God did a small miracle for a small person (me).

Psalm 147:3–4 says that God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” God does big things (like creating and naming the stars) and little things (like binding up the wounds of sad people). So, here’s an invitation: Ask God for his help. Give him your burden. Surrender your problem. He wants you to ask. He sees and cares, no matter how humble and hidden the issue. God took on flesh and came to earth as a tiny, fragile, helpless baby born to a manual laborer. By doing so, he was saying, loud and clear, “I care about small people. I was one myself.” Let’s bring our problems, big and small, to him.

Source: Desiring God

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Candace Cameron Bure and Kirk Cameron, two well-known figures in the entertainment industry, have long been open about their faith and the role it plays in their lives. Recently, they came together to discuss the power of prayer in a candid and heartfelt conversation that resonated with many.

The siblings, who rose to fame through their roles on beloved television shows like “Full House” and “Growing Pains,” have always been vocal about their Christian beliefs. However, it was their shared experiences and personal journeys that brought them to a deeper understanding of the importance of prayer.

In their discussion, Candace and Kirk shared how prayer has been a constant source of strength and guidance in both the good times and the challenging moments of their lives. They recounted stories of answered prayers, moments of divine intervention, and the profound impact that prayer has had on their relationships, careers, and overall well-being.

For Candace, prayer has been a grounding force amidst the demands of Hollywood and the pressures of public scrutiny. She spoke about how turning to prayer has helped her navigate difficult decisions and stay true to her values in an industry that often promotes different ideals.

Kirk, too, shared his perspective on the transformative power of prayer. From his early days as a child actor to his later career as a producer and speaker, he emphasized the importance of seeking God’s wisdom and guidance through prayer, especially during times of uncertainty or adversity.

Their conversation wasn’t just about personal anecdotes; it also delved into the broader significance of prayer in today’s world. In a culture marked by division, anxiety, and uncertainty, Candace and Kirk stressed the need for individuals to cultivate a deeper spiritual life and to lean on the power of prayer as a source of hope and healing.

Their message resonated with audiences of all backgrounds, sparking discussions about the role of faith in society and the timeless relevance of prayer in an ever-changing world. Whether through social media, interviews, or speaking engagements, Candace and Kirk continue to inspire others to embrace the transformative power of prayer and to seek a deeper connection with the divine in their own lives.

#Pray

CHRISTIAN FELLOWS Send your news, stories or articles to info@chrife.com.gh or via WhatsApp +233550144803

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In the field of academia, to be regarded an authority on a subject who wields thorough understanding, one must have spent a significant number of years in learning and extensive research works to attain a scholarly status.

However, despite the prolonged number of years some Christians have spent in the Christendom, a chunk of them have still not been able to appreciate basic biblical truths; and this has made them pitiful preys at the mercy of exploitative schemers and charlatans who parade as anointed servants of God.

I am bewildered at the fact that despite the long all nights, extensive fasting sessions and punctual commitment to prayer vigils and morning devotions, some of these Christians are still at sea in their understanding of the scriptures.

Apart from the victimization they suffer due to their ignorance, some of these Christians also turn to demonstrate very unreasonable acts of faith in a manner that utterly ridicules God’s precious gift of wisdom. Is it the case that they are of the stock that scriptures refer to as ‘ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth?’ Maybe!

Since the last decade, after being in Church and giving attention to serious Bible studies at home, I am of the opinion that no Christian should become a victim of the deceptive schemes of the devil.

Satan cannot defeat whom he cannot deceive’; and this affirms the truth that indeed knowledge of the scriptures is indispensable to a victorious living.

Unfortunately, many have strayed from the paths of truth, relegated sound doctrine to the background and have veered into the lanes of deception and erroneous demonstrations of faith that have no justifiable bases in the Scriptures.

Prayer is one of such acts of faith that has been greatly misconstrued in recent times and that has rather become a means through which Satan plagues the Church.

In places like Ghana where the majority of the citizenry are thought to be Christians, the growing spate of indiscipline and blatant disregard for authority is a huge testament of the variance between what many Christians profess and their actual deeds.

Prayer is good, but its content could render it useless. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus employed the parable of the Pharisee and Tax collector to echo that, while prayer is an important spiritual practice, the content of one’s prayer could make moments spent praying a complete waste of time. Evidently, in our part of the world today, a lot of productive hours continue to be wasted away in prayer as well; especially on issues that require the application of common sense.

In this regard, I view moments of prayer in Churches against the perennial flooding in Accra and its immediate environs as a completely useless act and a waste of everybody’s time! The rains have their unique role in our survival, and hence a petition to God to interrupt or alter rainfall patterns may as well plunge the nation into a state of famine.

In Accra, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Lands Commission, the Municipal and District Assemblies and other regulatory outfits still continue to grant permits for the erection of edifices along water ways; in addition to the choked conditions of our drainage systems that have been occasioned by the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into such drainage channels.

Causes have effects; and so the natural consequence of these unreasonable activities is ultimately perennial floods. What then convinces some Christians to think that they can use prayer to reverse the natural consequence of such bad practices?

If all churches agree to dedicate at least half of the actual time of their worship
services on a particular Sunday to drain the choked channels and embark on a mass cleaning of all drainages, that will be a more rewarding approach in addressing the man-made floods which continue to claim precious lives and wreck mayhem. The prayers of the saints against the perennial flooding situation in Accra is a mundane approach because evidently, the nature of the floods we experience are well within the remit of our human capacity to avoid.

Again, Christian prayers against the exponential menace of road accidents is another typically misplaced application of the weapon of prayer. Is it that God does not answer prayers? No. The answer to those prayers are at the human level. God will not intervene in challenges that he has already granted us the wisdom, expertise and abilities to resolve.

Let us fix all the deplorable and depleted road networks. Motorists should henceforth begin to religiously observe traffic and all other road safety regulations, even in the absence of any law enforcing personnel.

In addition, only roadworthy vehicles should be allowed to ply our roads. If such measures are strictly employed, a significant drop in the statistics of road accidents will not be far-fetched.

Another area where prayer is wrongly expended is in the area of our economic circumstances as a country and the state of our governance architecture. The poverty of our country for example is not a consequence of a short supply of supernatural blessings.

Anytime we chant the solemn and prayerful lines of the Ghana national anthem, God responds accordingly and unleashes His flourishing reservoir of blessings. However, we squander these blessings through mismanagement, unbridled corruption, vicious embezzlement and unrepentant acts of thievery. Again, let me reiterate that there is nothing wrong with praying for wisdom to address such situations. However, once we know what to do, praying in a manner that seems to be asking God to come and apply the wisdom He has granted us on our behalf is simply unreasonable.

Finally, there are seasons in Ghana when the pestilence of cholera gains ascendancy and becomes a major prayer topic in most churches and Christian homes. However, cholera is an avoidable disease. Its pervasiveness indicates that certain simple rules of hygiene are not being observed.

Demons are not the principal causes; and hence a spiritual remedy is ill-thought; unless of course it is revealed that those who create the filth are actually possessed; and such a revelation will even elevate the conversation to a whole new level.

But even so, the practical hygienic approach remains indispensable to resolving the issue. It is instructive to note from experience that God has not designed for prayer to be a substitute to hygienic measures to prevent cholera. Cholera is simply not God’s responsibility!

The fundamental reason that accounts for most of our woes is that, many Christians have pulled the breaks on the use of their brains and talents; and are wasting their lives under the illusion that being spiritual means shifting all personal responsibilities to God in prayer.

This is an unfortunate and destructive error and must be radically corrected without any apologies!

Watch for my latest book: NOT BY PRAYER

–By: Rev. Solomon Nortey|Email: solomonnortey26@gmail.com

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