Bring Me A Harpist


Music 🎶 is really powerful, but you already knew that. It motivates us, we celebrate with it, and then it can also move us to tears. What would Star Wars or Indiana Jones be without their signature theme music? We can identify TV shows by the songs that accompany them, and even commercial jingles get stuck in our heads.

It's power in our spiritual lives also can't be missed.

There's an account in the Scriptures of a trio of kings who went out to fight a battle. Things initially didn't go well, but there wasn't any fighting going on. The season was dry, and the army ran out of water. Believing that it was God who had brought them together, yet fearing for the well being of their men, the leaders sought for a prophet to help guide them in what to do.

Enter Elisha.

Elijah had recently been taken to Heaven in a chariot of fire. Imagine witnessing that! Someone tells the king that his apprentice Elisha is in the area so they head off to meet him. He's a reluctant audience, but agrees to seek God on their behalf. This is where we find this passage.

"But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came on Elisha." II Kings 3:15

"Bring me a harpist," is a request that can't be missed. If Elisha lived in our day he may have said, "bring me a worship leader...a guitarist...a pianist," or he may have just said, "put on some worship music." Elisha knew that music would help him connect with God. It still does.

I wonder what everyone else was doing as Elisha was drawing near to God? If this was our day some would have been taking pictures of him, others would be walking in and out, some would be talking to their neighbor, and a few would be texting or scrolling through Instagram. Some would worship, and they too would experience the presence of God.

Don't miss the power of music in your life, whether at home or alone. We have it easier than Elisha. We can pull worship music right up on our phones. We can listen online, in our cars, at home or anywhere. The presence of God accompanies worship. As we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. When you're down, lonely, need answers, discouraged, hurting, or even happy and celebratory let Elisha's call be your own.

"Bring me a harpist."

Following the Son,
James A Williams

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