President’s Perspective: When the Healer Gets Sick

President’s Perspective: When the Healer Gets Sick

The passage of 2 Kings 13:14 describes an unusual story about Elisha. The Bible mentioned that he became sick “with the illness of which he would die.”

Elisha was approximately 80 years old, and the Bible doesn’t mention other times when he was sick. Except when he was in danger of being arrested by the Syrians, all the miracles were performed on behalf of others. He was an instrument of blessing and healing for all people.

He healed different diseases, provided financial resources, fed the hungry, delivered water to the thirsty, and resurrected two individuals. God performed those miracles through him. It fulfilled his request at the beginning of his ministry: to be given a “double portion” of the Holy Spirit. And God used him as no one else in the Old Testament times.

Now, the healer himself becomes sick, which is the last illness before death. Even Elisha was not immune to the consequences of sin in our world. He had to die like everyone else. Even for an excellent ministry and lifelong faithful service to God and His people, there is an end.

What about us? Elisha’s story taught us that there is a plan for our lives according to God’s destiny. There is “a time to be born and a time to die” (Eccl. 3:2), and the most important thing is what happens during this time framework. God and sometimes our lifestyle are determinants for our life expectancy, but we are the ones who are responsible for the life we live between our birth and death days.

One day, sooner or later, we will finish our earthly race. Let’s be faithful in fulfilling God’s plans for our lives and continue to be His instruments of blessings and healing for others. We are called to be an Elisha of our times.

Titus Naftanaila, President