Day 102 – 2 Kings 4–7, Psalm 102

In a time of drought, debt, and war, the prophet Elisha moved among the people, carrying the power and compassion of God. In 2 Kings 4, we see Elisha hard at work. Elisha turns a tiny jar of oil into a miracle factory, saving a widow and her sons from debt. Then he blesses a kind woman with a baby, and when tragedy strikes, he prays that boy back to life. He neutralizes deadly herbs in a pot of stew, making it safe to eat. And just when you think he’s done, he feeds a hundred hungry men with a handful of bread.

In 2 Kings 5, then came Naaman, a mighty Syrian general plagued by leprosy. He expected a grand healing ceremony, but Elisha simply told him to wash in the Jordan River. Naaman obeyed, and his skin was healed.

In 2 Kings 6, when enemies surrounded Samaria, Elisha’s servant panicked. But Elisha prayed, and God opened his eyes to see angel armies all around them. God blinds the Aramean army. Elisha led the blinded enemy soldiers into Samaria—not to be killed but fed and sent home in peace. The peace did not last long. Sometime later, Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.

In 2 Kings 7, when Samaria faced starvation under siege, Elisha prophesied that relief would come overnight. It seemed impossible—until four desperate lepers discovered the enemy had mysteriously fled, leaving behind all their supplies. God had caused confusion in the enemy camp. The city was saved, just as Elisha had said.

Psalm 102 is a heartfelt prayer from someone overwhelmed by suffering, crying out to God for help. The psalm shifts from deep personal pain to confident hope in God. It reminds us that though our lives are brief and fragile, God remains constant and unchanging.