by Alison Hutchings

Ever been betrayed by a friend? I mean, really betrayed…by someone you trust with your life. Ever known betrayal and destruction were going to happen to someone you love, but you were powerless to stop it? If you answered “yes” to the first question, you know what Ben-Hadad must have felt like at the end of this passage. If you answered “yes” to the second question, you can identify with Elisha. But, what about Hazael – do we dare look for a connection with him? I think we must…

From all outward appearances, Hazael was living a life of total devotion to his king. But he was nursing an evil desire. Hazael had become so obsessed with his desire to be king, there was no stopping him. As I read the passage, I was struck by the fact that Hazael felt shame before Elisha, but he still killed his king. I felt a little smug right then – a little “holier than thou” – for about a nano-second. The Holy Spirit immediately brought to mind something for which I felt shame when confronted but still ended up doing. Ouch. Next words out of my mouth were confession and repentance, which led to a really wonderful time with God.

Is the Holy Spirit bringing something to your mind? If so, take a moment to confess and repent – right now – and allow God’s forgiveness and grace to wash over you.

A fellow traveler,
Alison