Futility To Fruitfulness

"Now the men of the city said to Elisha,

‘Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees,

but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.”

He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.”

So they brought it to him.

Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said,

'Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water;

from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.”

2 Kings 2:19-21

Something can look good on the outside and offer nothing but want. The men of this city called on the Lord through Elisha, as we can call on the Lord through Christ to remove the barrenness of life without Him; to remove those things in our lives that harm. When the water is bad and the land is unfruitful, that’s a tough place to live, much less thrive.

What does Elisha require of them? A new bowl and salt. It makes me think of Christ’s teaching about not putting new wine in an old wine skin (Matthew 9:17), and how we are to be salt – bringing flavor and preservation – to the world through the Gospel (Matthew 5:13). Unless there is true transformation by becoming a new creation in Christ, we are not bringing what can heal and bring fruitfulness to the land.

The salt from the new bowl was thrown in, and the LORD pronounced healing. No more death or lost fruit! When we come to Christ and abide in Him, He makes us new through salvation, bearing fruit through us that remains. It brings Him much deserved glory! Thank You Savior and Healer. There is nothing You can’t do.