by Abbie Tippie

Water. Ice. Snow. Hail. Summer rains. Floods. Hurricanes.

As humans, we need water to survive. It brings life, it is a source of refreshment, and it quenches our thirst. And yet, sometimes, through its power and fury, water brings destruction. In 2 Kings 3, we see how God chose to use water for dual purposes, but with the same goal: to demonstrate his miraculous power and faithfulness to His people.

Through the word of Elisha, God commanded the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom to dig a valley full of ditches, with a promise that they would fill with water. The explicit use of this water was to supply the armies and animals with something to drink (verse 17). God miraculously fulfilled his promise to the people, and the land was filled with water (verse 20). But God did not limit the usefulness of this water supply solely to quench the thirst of the armies and their animals. “To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red – like blood” (verse 22). This water provided a source of strength to energize the troops, as well as an object of confusion to lower the defenses of the enemy. Instead of fighting on home turf, the Moabites entered Israel’s camp to wage battle. The Israelites fought hard and were relentless, following the Lord’s instructions to destroy both the enemy and their land.

God’s purposes and plans may be two-fold. Maybe God is using something in your life to show His faithfulness in multiple ways. Our explicit understanding of something may only scratch the surface of how God may be at work around us and through us.

Your fellow traveler,
Abbie