Adding the Salt
"And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.†So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ †(2 Kings 2:20-21)
It is far too easy to only see things on a surface level and to miss what is truly going on beneath the surface or at the source of something. When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt, they began to complain about their thirst and the water being bitter and believed the lie that God had left them in the wilderness to die. But the Lord answered the cry of His servant Moses and showed him a tree and told him to throw it into the water, and "when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet" (Ex. 15:25).
This tree was an early foreshadowing of the cross which when thrown into the source of their problem would heal the waters and quench their thirst within. God always has ways to turn a sour and sinful situation and turn it into something sweet!
This was also the case for Elisha, who became a new prophet (new bowl) in God's hand to speak to the people and direct them in their ways (the salt). While he was waiting in Jericho, the men of the city came to him and told him that the city looked like it was pleasant but the real situation was that the water was bad and the ground was barren.
IS THIS THE CASE FOR YOU TODAY? Are you aware of something that is not right beneath the surface but you are not sure what is needed to solve this problem?
Let us remember to bring in the SALT:
Spiritual assessment of the problem
An Answer from the LORD
Love for the people involved
Transformation at the very source
The Lord always has an answer to help us in our time of need. He revealed to Elisha that salt needed to be thrown into the water source and that God would do the healing.
Elisha’s miraculous act was one of showing God’s mercy to a community in time of great distress and spiritual corruption. ADDING THE SALT represents the cleansing power which God would bring to bear on all that is corrupted and cursed at its core. Salt has many used for a variety of purposes, such as fertilization, preservation, purification, healing, enhancing, and even currency exchange or trade.
May we be the salt of the earth in all that Jesus calls us to be and do and may we never lose our flavor for our Savior or the desire to add just the right additive to see a dire situation change for the better.
Jesus sees into the hearts of people and He knows how to turn their hearts but He works with our will and looks for us to partner with Him in the great works that He does. May we allow God to show us what needs to be brought into each situation that we find ourselves in.
“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another" (Mark 9:49-50).
We learn in this simple illustration from the life of Elisha that SIN and CORRUPTION must be cleansed at the fountain-head in the heart, the 'source' or heart of the matter, and not half a mile down the stream, in the out flowing of deeds which are only symptomatic of what lies within.
When all is said and done, we want to be a "salty" people for the Lord who are God's 'new bowls' bringing in 'the salt' that comes from the work of the Spirit in and through us.
It is far too easy to only see things on a surface level and to miss what is truly going on beneath the surface or at the source of something. When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt, they began to complain about their thirst and the water being bitter and believed the lie that God had left them in the wilderness to die. But the Lord answered the cry of His servant Moses and showed him a tree and told him to throw it into the water, and "when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet" (Ex. 15:25).
This tree was an early foreshadowing of the cross which when thrown into the source of their problem would heal the waters and quench their thirst within. God always has ways to turn a sour and sinful situation and turn it into something sweet!
This was also the case for Elisha, who became a new prophet (new bowl) in God's hand to speak to the people and direct them in their ways (the salt). While he was waiting in Jericho, the men of the city came to him and told him that the city looked like it was pleasant but the real situation was that the water was bad and the ground was barren.
IS THIS THE CASE FOR YOU TODAY? Are you aware of something that is not right beneath the surface but you are not sure what is needed to solve this problem?
Let us remember to bring in the SALT:
Spiritual assessment of the problem
An Answer from the LORD
Love for the people involved
Transformation at the very source
The Lord always has an answer to help us in our time of need. He revealed to Elisha that salt needed to be thrown into the water source and that God would do the healing.
Elisha’s miraculous act was one of showing God’s mercy to a community in time of great distress and spiritual corruption. ADDING THE SALT represents the cleansing power which God would bring to bear on all that is corrupted and cursed at its core. Salt has many used for a variety of purposes, such as fertilization, preservation, purification, healing, enhancing, and even currency exchange or trade.
May we be the salt of the earth in all that Jesus calls us to be and do and may we never lose our flavor for our Savior or the desire to add just the right additive to see a dire situation change for the better.
Jesus sees into the hearts of people and He knows how to turn their hearts but He works with our will and looks for us to partner with Him in the great works that He does. May we allow God to show us what needs to be brought into each situation that we find ourselves in.
“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another" (Mark 9:49-50).
We learn in this simple illustration from the life of Elisha that SIN and CORRUPTION must be cleansed at the fountain-head in the heart, the 'source' or heart of the matter, and not half a mile down the stream, in the out flowing of deeds which are only symptomatic of what lies within.
When all is said and done, we want to be a "salty" people for the Lord who are God's 'new bowls' bringing in 'the salt' that comes from the work of the Spirit in and through us.
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