Do you like to work? I mean really work. Physical work. Ditch-digging work. No? Didn’t think so.

Do you like the idea of miracles? Something coming from nothing. Dead made to live. Sun-standing-still miracles. Yes? Thought so.

We all want to see the miraculous, but precious few are interested in doing the work required to bring it about.

Go through your Bible. Find accounts of miracles and tell me how many required no work at all.

• Moses and the Red Sea ( Exodus 14) – as long as his staff was up, the seabed remained dry. His brother, Aaron had to hold his arms up just so Israel could cross.
• Bitter water made sweet (Exodus 15) – Moses had to throw a log, not a stick, a log into the water to make it drinkable
• A new covenant (Exodus 34) – after the original commandments were destroyed, Moses actually had to cut new tablets for God to write the new covenant on.
• Taking the Promised Land (Joshua 3) – just because God had promised them a new and good land, didn’t mean they weren’t going to have to fight for it.
• The defeat of Jericho (Joshua 6) – Israel had to walk for a week!

The list goes on an on.

Jump ahead to today’s reading in 2 Kings 3.

(As a side note, as a worship leader, I’m a fan of Elisha – before he prophesies, he calls for a musician. It wasn’t until after the music started that the Spirit of God came upon Elisha.)

So here we are in 2 Kings and a group of kings has decided to take on Moab. They claim that their battle is God-ordained. Elisha begged to differ, but God still worked. Now, they went to battle in the middle of a drought. (Way to go, kings.) Their armies were thirsty. Their animals were thirsty. They’d never be able to win a battle dehydrated. And what did Elisha say?

 

“Now bring me someone who plays the harp.” While the harp was being played, the Lord gave Elisha power. Then Elisha said, “The Lord says to dig holes in the valley.”

2 Kings 3:15-16 (NCV)

Dig. Hey all you thirsty guys, we’re going to need you to go dig us some ditches. I know you’re thirsty, but if you want to drink, you’re going to have to work first.

The miracle required effort on the part of the kings and their armies. God came through and water filled the ditches, but only after they had been dug.

If you’re praying for a miracle, stop and listen. Maybe God requires some work on your part before you see the miracle come to pass.

Daily Bible reading: 2 Kings 1-3; John 3:22-36