2Ki 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Elisha lived long; for it was now about sixty years since he was first called to be a prophet. This faithful prophet of God is now old and very sick. It just shows us that life is fragile. We are not here to live forever. James says: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). Thank God if you are now a senior citizen. Many folks didn’t get to this age. The Psalmist says: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10, ESV). That Bible verse above says we get to 80 by reason of strength. Still, when compared to eternity, even the longest life is too short. James likens it to a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. The Psalmist says “they are soon gone and we fly away.” Life is fragile and fleeting. The Psalmist says life is “but toil and trouble.” Job concurs and utters: "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). We can’t but agree with them: Life is not a leisurely stroll, but a gruelling race. I recall the words of Jacob when Pharaoh saw him and was amazed at the sight of this old man who appeared in front of him. Pharaoh asked Jacob: “How old are you?” Jacob replied: “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life,” (Genesis 47:8, 9, ESV). Jacob called his life a sojourning (pilgrimage in KJV). He looked upon himself as traveller in this world toward another. And he described his journey here as few and evil. When we look into the life of Jacob, indeed, he did not have it easy. Yes, life is short and full of trouble. Time only goes forward, never back. As we grow older, our days seem to race by, each seeming to go faster than the one before. It seems like only two years ago that I finished college but today I am actually a grandfather. The leisurely days of youth have become a distant memory. Elisha was sick and dying. This great prophet of God became sick like others whom he had healed. Surprisingly, Joash, king of Israel, came to visit the prophet and lamented that this great man would soon die (v.14). Now, Joash was a wicked king in the sight of God and probably Elisha had rebuked him before of his wickedness (v.10, 11). Yet, Joash came and lamented that Elisha would be leaving this world. How interesting! Solomon says: “When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Barnes wrote: “Goodness has power to charm and win even enemies to itself” (Barnes’ Notes, e-sword). Joash might hate Elisha but he still had respect for this prophet. In Elisha, he saw a man who was upright and one who feared God. Secretly, I think he admired Elisha and probably wished they were not enemies. He realized the world would be losing one good man. He wished Elisha lived. Will we be missed by friends and enemies when we die? Will our enemies rejoice that we will be gone forever? Or, will they be praying that we live? The answer would depend on what kind of life we are living. Are we the kind of person that even our enemies would have to but respect us? Though they may not like us, they have to admit our death is a loss to the world. Think about it.