2 Kings 2:7-8,13-14
7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.
8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

13 He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
14 Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

Elisha (means God is salvation) was following the prophetic mission of Elijah. As God commanded on the mount of Horeb, Elijah went to see him in his field. Elisha was ploughing his field with 11 other men driving their pair of oxen, and he himself was on the twelfth pair. Elijah cast his outer garment on Elijah, as a symbol of transfering authority. Elisha went back home, sacrificed his oxen using the wood from the plough and gave a feast to all the men. Then he came back and became a disciple of Elijah.

When Elijah said it was time for him to be taken up, Elijah replied with a strong ‘I will not leave you’, all the three times Elijah said it. He asked a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Who would have so much courage to take over the mission such a person like Elijah was holding? When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha was receiving the double portion of his spirit. He came back from Jordan as the successor of Elijah.

Now, it is true that the Lord chose Elisha to be the successor of Elijah. On the other hand, Elisha had a heart to serve the Lord and his people, he had zeal for the Lord and determination to serve him. So God blessed Elisha with the double portion of Elijah’s spirit. What is our ‘portion’ in the church and in God’s kingdom today? What are the ‘portions’ we ask from the Lord? Elisha could have asked and received many material blessings from Elijah. Instead he chose what would please God. The ‘portions’ of this world will fade away, but the ‘portions from God will stay forever.

Prayer idea

Do something with the people you are reaching out to. (Like give a gift or share a meal etc)