By This Time Tomorrow…

Most of us as believers struggle with the timing of God. We have a hard time waiting on Him to fulfill our request. But what if God puts a time on it? What if He says, “by this time tomorrow” – will we believe it?

Such was the case of the of the officer of the King of Israel when he heard Elisha speak these words concerning a turn from the famine in which they were suffering:

Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, six quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.” 1Kings 7:1 (NLT)

Famine was so severe throughout the land that it was hard pressed for anyone to believe that things could change overnight. No doubt the king’s officer was not the only one who didn’t believe. Yet, he was the one who voiced it in the hearing of Elisha. Elisha replied to him:

But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!” 1 Kings 7:2(NLT)

Of course Elisha did not speak of his own accord – he heard the word of the Lord and the next day it happened just as the Lord gave it to him. And what happened to the officer who didn’t believe:

¹⁷ The king appointed his officer to control the traffic at the gate, but he was knocked down and trampled to death as the people rushed out.

So everything happened exactly as the man of God had predicted when the king came to his house. 1 Kings 7:17 (NLT)

Now this would seem unfair if it had been spoken by just any other man – but Elisha was proven to be a prophet of God. It would seem that he would pay attention to a man whose words repeatedly had proven to be true. It gives us something to think about, who are we listening to?

Maria