Axe Heads

In 2nd Kings 6 there's a story that God led me to about 3am one Sunday morning before I was scheduled to lead worship. Elisha and the other prophets that he hung out with needed to build a bigger meeting place. They went down to the Jordan river to cut logs for the structure. The text reads: "As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water." He cried out to Elisha for help because the axe was borrowed and he would have to work off the debt to repay the owner. He directs Elisha to where it fell in, Elisha tosses in a stick where it went in, and the axe head floats up to the surface and is recovered.

That's the end of the text. No explanation, no "moral to the story"-nothing. The writer of Kings moves onto a completely unrelated event. Huh?

Later that morning while trying to get through our rehearsal and sound check, everything went south, especially the avioms. We were all getting frustrated. As we met in the green room I realized what the story of the axe head meant.

We have tools, the strength and physical capacity to wield them effectively, abilities to create or fix things. We have plans, directions, set lists and arrangements. But in those moments when things go wrong we watch our "axe head" sink to the bottom and we don't get it.

The point is, no matter how good we are at swinging an axe to cut logs and build something for God, He's the only One that can make that heavy lifeless iron axe head float! Its the spirit that brings life and energy and excitement to worship. We need to give it all to and for Him-above all else- and remember that He will always come through when we cry out to Him and let Him reign!

Is it any wonder that musicians refer to their instruments as their "axe"?