1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”
2 Kings 9:13 “Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”
Observation: These passages reflect the spiritual authority that comes through the laying on of hands and through prophetic words spoken over us by men acting in obedience to God.
Application: Timothy had received powerful gifts for exhortation and teaching and was urged by Paul to develop his skill in those areas. The ability of God’s Word to change hearts and convey power is perhaps even more clearly illustrated in 2 Kings 9:13. Elisha had sent “one of the sons of the prophets” to find Jehu with instructions to privately, “in an inner room” pour oil on his head and anoint him king over Israel. This wasn’t to be a big-deal public ceremony; it was to be behind closed doors, with no witnesses, carried out by a nameless young man no one knew but who was acting on instruction from the Lord.
What the young man did was obviously effective, because moments later when Jehu emerged from the room dripping oil and told his fellow captains in the army what had just happened, they immediately responded with honor. They removed their cloaks so Jehu could stand on them as a sign of their submission, and they proclaimed him king. There was no sign of jealousy, no second-guessing; just an instant acknowledgement of what God had said.
How very different were the instruments for these anointings. One was Paul, arguably the most famous apostle in the land, while the other was a nameless lad who fled as soon as he had carried out his task. Might I conclude from this that the “instrument” of anointing may not matter all that much?
Timothy and Jehu are great examples of ordinary people who said yes to God. That’s not to say they were overnight wonders; Paul, for example, exhorted Timothy to keep practicing, keep honing his skills for greatest usefulness to the body of Christ. Surely that is a good word for me as well. Saying yes to God’s call is the first step of a journey that will take me to places and relationships and impacts I could not have imagined. But God Himself has uniquely designed each journey, and I would do well to be engaged in it.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes glimpses of where You want me to go take my breath away. But You have good things for those who love You. Your calling is for eternally significant purposes, even when those purposes aren’t clear. So, I say, “Yes, Lord” again this morning. Have Your way with me. I love You, Lord.