NEAR BUT FAR.

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*NEAR BUT FAR*

*Scripture Treasure.*

2 Kgs 4:29, 31-32 *Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.*

*And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.*

*And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Proximity to the spiritual does not make you spiritual.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Closeness has always suggested relationship that shares, intimates etc.

While proximity or how close you are to someone has been proved to be suggestive of harmony and cordiality, it has been shown to be one of most coexistence prone to betrayal.

Being close to someone has taught us that it is the foundation of bossom friendship when it is properly managed, observed and demonstrated. Prayerfully choosing whom you want as a close and intimate friend with godly direction and fear are key.

Scriptures tell us of some who were close to God's chosen but they never became spiritual or God's vessels.

When it comes to the spiritual, while proximity to a man of God is important, the motive of the person who is close to him would determine if the closeness would result in his growth as the man he is close with.

Some people can be in the right place but with the wrong motive.

Gehazi was close to Elisha to the extent that Elisha gave him his staff instructing him to lay the staff on the son of the Shunammite woman who was dead.

The staff symbolized Elisha's prophetic authority, power and leadership.

The staff did not work through Gehazi.

Elisha eventually went, prayed, and stretched himself on the boy, who then sneezed seven times and came back to life, 2 Kgs 2: 29-37.

The essence of the staff of such spiritual power given and entrusted to Gehazi tells us how far and well Gehazi may have gone spiritually if he had not failed his master.

His proximity to Elisha was as a result of the trust Elisha had for Gehazi.

However, as for Gehazi, the presence of a spiritual object does not in itself necessarily point to the power which it represents.

True spiritual power comes from God, not just objects, and requires a right heart and direct connection.

The mantle from Elijah worked for Elisha because Elisha had the right heart and connection to the God of Elijah, 2 Kgs 2:11-14.

Moses may not have known the power of the rod in his hands until God told him numerous times of the power the rod so close to him.

Firstly In Exd 4: 2-5 *And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.*

*And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.*

*And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:*

*That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.*

Secondly, in Exd 7:8-9 *And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,*

*When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.*

Thirdly the rod was used to turn the Nile to blood, Exd 7:19.

Fourthly, further numerous times to initiate plagues and demonstrate God's power, bringing hail, locusts, and darkness, and later to part the Red Sea and strike the rock for water, Exd 17.

The rod worked for Moses because Moses was under supernatural relationship with God.

The power of God in Moses gave the rod power to do the powerful.

The rod given to Aaron to throw and to stretch to the Nile was an instrument of delegated authority made powerful by God through Moses who authorized it.

The rod worked through Aaron, unlike the staff that did not work through Gehazi.

God had already prepared Aaaron

as co-chanel to the divine mandate given to Moses because God had told Moses *"......See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet."*, Exd 7:1.

These are prime examples of divine potential working through ordinary men.

Proximity of an object to the spiritual does not make the object powerful but surrendering the object to God will make it to become an extraordinary vessel for His purpose.

God demonstrated to Moses that ordinary things, when surrendered to God, become extraordinary tools for His purposes.

While your closeness to the spiritual is indicative of potential growth, your attitude will determine how spiritual you would be.

*Remorse corner.*

When we place ourselves in God's hands, we will become powerful tools for His glory.

*Call to Word action.*

When we place what we possess in God's hands, our possessions will become powerful tools for His glory.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Your closeness to the spiritual does not make you spiritual if you do not release yourself to the spiritual.

*Prayer.*

Lord help me, not only to be close to You, but to walk perfectly before You, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.