Looking back a bit into the life of Elijah, remember when he had that super-competition with the priests of Baal? Baal had it much easier. Just wood and a bull animal–let Baal set fire to it all. But nothing happened. Nothing at all! Now for the God of Elijah. Wood, a bull, trenches, water-all-around soaking and dripping throughout–with prayers to Yahweh, to send fire down from heaven and torch this drenched site of sacrifice. Will He do it? Can He? Which god is the true One and Only? Baal? What of him? The god of fire and water and life itself? The ancients pictured their god, Baal, standing up holding both his hands upright with one hand holding a hammer for thunder and the other with lightning bolts along with bull’s horns on his head symbolizing virility. He was thought to be the god of fire. Surely, he could perform in this challenge. Cry out to Baal, pray to him! And you know the outcome–the true God, the One and Only, Yahweh of Israel, overcame all those obstacles. Fire fell from heaven leaving a blazing inferno. Baal was a fire-less flop! Not Yahweh. No, for many times our God is associated with fire in the Old Testament. Moses at the burning bush, that fire by night for Israel in the desert for 40 long years to provide light and warmth on those cold, desolate desert nights. Fire. And here in our Bible text today we see Elijah and Elisha walking together and talking together, when suddenly a chariot appears with horses attached and fire…fire…fire! It’s so intense that it separates the 2 men. Elisha is probably thrown to the ground as he watches that chariot on fire with horses on fire lifting Elijah right up to heaven, to the very presence of God Himself, the One and Only True God. What a sight! What an experience! They have just been walking and talking together when all heaven breaks loose! When you or I are interrupted in our daily lives by what just feels like the temperature has been turned way up, stand back and see what the Lord has in mind for us. He’s the One and Only, our One and Only. We can trust Him even when the fire comes close and separates us from who or what we’ve loved. We were just walking and talking when… But He won’t burn us, He loves us. A cloak from heaven will drape us with new purpose, new life, new love covering us with His protection and His warmth and His light. His light should lighten the weight on our shoulders as we journey together with Him as if we’re walking on step upon step leading right up to heaven itself!