Hymn 396:3-4, “A Little While”
The thought of “a little while” has been my meditation.
II Kings 6:1-7, “And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, ‘Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.’ And he answered, ‘Go ye.’ And one said, ‘Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants.’ And he answered, ‘I will go.’ So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, ‘Alas, master! For it was borrowed.’ And the man of God said, ‘Where fell it?’ And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, ‘Take it up to thee.’ And he put out his hand, and took it.”
They said the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Matthew 16:24, “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.’” There needs to be a decision made. Our spirits, our will need to be changed to the will of God. The son of the prophet lost the axe head. He was handling the precious gospel and trying to control it, but was careless and lost it. Because of the power and mercy of God, he got it back. “Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it.” Have I borrowed something from someone and lost it? We have the privilege of getting it back if we lose our life and find it thru Christ. Find it; put it in our hearts.
What are we going to do with what we have heard here today? I have been trying to save something that means nothing to God. The real gospel message is in that 26th verse of Matthew 16, “For what is a man profiteth, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Am I willing to give God everything; am I willing to give the Lord my all?