1 Kings 19:19-21
So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
God had specifically instructed Elijah to anoint Elisha to take his place. Elijah obliged and threw his cloak around Elisha, symbolic of choosing him to replace his role. Elisha promptly answered God's call to take over the mantle from Elijah. He left everything and ran after Elijah. It was a spontaneous act of docility. However, he remembered in time that he had not properly said good bye to his family, so he decided
to close that chapter of his life the right way.
To show his willingness to follow God via his servant, Elisha who used to work as a field man plowing, took his oxen and burned his plowing equipment to cook the meat. He then threw his own send off party, and then gladly set off to follow Elijah, God's servant.
Elisha gave up on his old life to embrace the new. He answered God pronto. When the Lord calls us to any task, do we waste time counting what we stand to lose? Or are we willing to give it all up and follow God? Do we weigh the what ifs and place our families before God's will?
We need to learn to be like Elisha. To have a child like faith that is ever ready to obey God and heed His call and instructions. Faith acts, and acts now! Doubt and fear causes us to procrastinate. Act now; obey God now!
WHAT IS NEXT?
