I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Kings 13-14.

    King Jehu’ descendants who ruled over Israel continued to follow the practice of worshiping the gold calves created by Jeroboam. They also continued to allow the worship of Asherah, even though Jehu had wiped out the worship of her consort Baal. It is also noteworthy that both Jehu’s son and grandson were given names which referenced God. This continues to support the idea that those who worshiped the gold calves were attempting to worship God, even though they were doing so in a way which He had rejected. However, Jehu’s grandson visited Elisha on his deathbed and mourned his passing. The story of King Jehoash’s visit with Elijah gives us a lesson.
    Every time I read Jehoash’s response to Elisha’s command to strike the ground with the arrows I imagine him doing so 3 times in a half-hearted manner. The lesson here is that we should do the tasks we are given by God’s representatives with enthusiasm, even when they seem pointless. Elisha tells Jehoash that if he had been more enthusiastic about hitting the ground with the arrows, he would have completed defeated the Arameans, who were Isreal’s greatest enemy in Jehoash’s lifetime. While he would have success against his enemies, his lack of enthusiasm would result in it being only limited success. Enthusiasm in the small things God calls us to will yield positive results in the big tasks God has for us.