The story recorded in 2 Kings 6:1-7 offers one of the most valuable lessons about God’s providence and omnipotence for the comfort of one humble and nameless individual. Our sorrows and distress are given the same divine attention from the One who loves us the most.

First, the growth and advancements in any enterprise imply initiative, planning, and coordinating the entire team. The school of the prophets needed a bigger space to accommodate a larger number of students and functions.  Thus, each student was encouraged to take a beam and build an appropriate facility by the Jordan River.

Second, by inviting Elisha to join the construction crew, they admitted the need for divine presence. Skills, experience, and wisdom are crucial but are not enough. We cannot start anything without making sure that God is present and involved in the entire process.

Third, even if we are sincere and are involved in spiritual enterprises, mistakes can happen. We may lose our “ax heads” in a moment. Our faith, relationships, health, and even our lives are borrowed resources given to us for a limited time. We all can make mistakes in one area or another.

Fourth, every mistake is an opportunity for a miracle if we address it as the student did. He went immediately to Elisha as the prophet of the Lord, being ready to follow even the most illogical instructions.

Finally, the apparent strange question “Where did it fall?” is crucial for our learning experiences as well. Why is it so important to know “where did it fall?” God can bring restoration, healing, and success out of any disastrous situation. But it is imperative to be aware of the causes or the circumstances that led to that failure in the first place. Especially if our “ax heads” continue to fall in the same place again and again.

In conclusion, God is willing to fix our borrowed lives as long as we come directly to Him, admit our mistakes, understand the causality, and follow His instructions. After every experience on this earth, the joy of restoration will culminate with the final restoration when Jesus comes back to take us home.

Titus Naftanaila, President