Asking and receiving the impossible.

[rdclmn72]

In a very short time Elijah had established followers in several communities and was following Samuel's example of making regular circuits of those same communities, training the body of ministers that would reclaim Israel. The trip was routine, there was nothing to indicate anything special was about to happen.
Where Elijah was about to leave Elisha and continue alone, Elijah would have none of that, he insisted on going.
In the biggest open secret of the bible, Elijah knew what was about to happen, Elisha knew and the prophets knew what was about to happen.
The two cross the Jordan, they leave a terrritory that is already prepared, they enter the future.
In Elisha you have an individual that did his homework, he knew enough about the word to know that a prophet's vision and ministry are one. He also knew that to claim a double portion was to recieve an inheritance denied. He realized that his role would be to continue the ministry he was now a part of.
The vision is his, he knows that to inherit a ministry has not been done before, he then decides to ask the impossible...and he recieves it.

 

[dsdrmmn]

God can give you anything you ask for. Be careful how you use it. In "Fifth Mountain" Paulo Coelho goes into Elijah's exile in Akbar where he is presented with the God vs. the other guys trick. Gabriel tells him he can only use the trick once, either in Akbar to save its people from war or later in Israel. He refrains from using the trick in Akbar, but saves the people anyway.

It's what you do with the impossible that counts.