Key Verse: 2 Kings 1:6a
So they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?…'”‘”

The first lesson from today’s reading is that we are to have nothing to do with any aspect of the occult. It’s tempting to try to know the future through non-biblical means. Seeking such knowledge brought the curse of death on Ahaziah. Let us heed the warning of Elijah!
The second lesson is that we must avoid distractions. The word to Elisha was that if he saw Elijah ascend, he would receive a double portion (the eldest son received double what others received as an inheritance, because he took care of needy family members). If Elisha had watched the chariot and the horses, he would have missed the blessing. He focused totally on Elijah, who was not taken up in the chariot, but in a whirlwind. Let us, with laser-like focus, keep our eyes on Jesus, and not be distracted by miracles, signs and wonders.
Thirdly, consider the differences between Elijah and Elisha. Elijah, according to the Scriptures, is a type of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13). Elisha reminds us of Jesus. Elijah’s ministry emphasized judgment and the Law. He lived an austere life separated from the people. Elisha lived in constant touch with ordinary people, and his ministry emphasized life and grace.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, please help me to focus on You and You alone. You hold my future in Your hands. I trust You for daily guidance. Grant me grace to keep my eyes on You, Lord Jesus, and I know that as I refuse to be distracted, I can’t go wrong. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I have a friend named Herman. Herman was a salesman for Litton Industries, a company that, among other products, manufactured a system for aircraft called “Inertial Navigation.” One day he shared this story with me…

“I’ve just sold and installed one of our systems in the corporate jet of the President of Home Oil of Calgary, Alberta. In order to have automatic guidance to your destination, you punch into the onboard computer the co-ordinates of the latitude and longitude of your desired destination. The unit was installed in Toronto and carried the President to Calgary. Herman received a call from Calgary about four hours after departure. The President sounded angry. He said, ‘We got over Calgary air space and then trouble. It landed us one foot to the left of the centre line on the runway.’ Then he burst into laughter.”

What amazing accuracy! The lesson Herman taught me was that if I want guidance, I simply put God’s promises into effect by praying and believing, and then take off. He has promised guidance to His desired destination for my life. This removes the potential for human error. Solomon got it right when he wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Yours to help navigate our lives always to the centre line on the runway of life. God’s will is our destination, and we must not be distracted by other considerations,

David