ToddGaddisBook_October2023_8.5x5.5.indd

doing things in a way they would not have done before he fell on hard times. Likewise, whether God has orchestrated our circumstanc es or we’ve created our own crises, we’re “chopping trees” with headless ax handles and wondering why no progress is being made. We’re attempting to minister in the flesh, wondering why God isn’t blessing. And, even if we’re fortunate enough to have an ax head still on the handle, it’s gotten so dull we are barely making an impact. Which brings to mind the story of Bob, who challenged his friend Bill to an all-day wood chopping contest. Bob worked extremely hard, stopping only for a brief lunch. Bill enjoyed a leisurely lunch, stopping for even more breaks during the day.At the end of the day, Bob was frustrated to find that Bill had chopped substantially more wood than him. “I don’t get it,” he said. “Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did.” “But you didn’t notice,” said the winner, “that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest.” Implementation of spiritual disciplines, such as solitude, prayer, fasting, and meditation on Scripture provide vital ways to engage in “rest’ and sharpen our axes. To conclude, recall that Elisha “cut a stick” and threw it into the spot where the ax head disappeared, just like Moses threw a stick into the bitter water at Marah to make it sweet (Exodus 15:25). Continuing on our path of symbolism, it’s worth noting that the term branch is used several times in the Bible as a title for the Messiah. For example, “In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the

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