2 Kings 2:9-10

"Elijah said to Elisha, 'What can I do for you before I'm taken from you.' Elisha said, 'Your life repeated in my life. I want to be a holy man just like you.' Elijah said, 'If you're watching when I'm taken from you, you'll get what you've asked for. But only if you're watching.'"

Reflection by William C. Green

Elisha knew that the older prophet Elijah was about to be taken from him. He wanted the assurance that the spirit of Elijah would be his as well. This request would be granted, he was told, "but only if you're watching" what’s about to happen.

What the young prophet saw was hard to miss—as the story goes, he saw a chariot and horses of fire! Sometimes an encounter with the divine carries the charge of powerful vision. But sometimes it's quite the opposite. Both are true. Both involve watching and taking in what's right before us.

Watch those good times at church or with family, or with a friend. Take them in. Keep the memory fresh. They can fill you with a sense of warmth and completeness beyond what could be yours alone. But watch, too, at times when you're dealing with a broken heart, serious illness, a lost job, the death of someone you love. Anything divine seems distant—and may for some time. But then with the help of a friend, a prayer, a memory, your spirit will gradually rebound and you'll find strength restored.

We can be filled with a strong spirit, just as Elisha hoped. In the spirit of Advent we can be on the lookout for love and goodness waiting to be proved true again.

Prayer

May I expect to find you in all I face, God, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

About the Author William C. Green is Vice-President for Strategy and Development, Moral Courage Project, NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and the author of 52 Ways to Ignite Your Congregation: Generous Giving.

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