Monday 21 Oct 2019

October 21: 1 Kings 19:19-21

Key Verse: 1 Kings 19:21
So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the ploughing 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.

Devotion:
When I first read these verses, I was under the impression Elisha was not listening to Elijah or what God wanted of him. But stop and go through these verses again… Elisha was not just saying bye to the family but was making a statement showing how much God meant to him. He took the yoke of oxen he was working with (his old life) and the tools of that old life to make a sacrifice to God in front of the whole family.

He made a statement many of us do not do or are not willing to do. His sacrifice of his old life for the new life to come with Elijah and God was of everything of his old ways. If we are not willing to give up our old lives when God asks us to come forward for Him, then are we actually listening to what God wants in our lives? Don’t forget that God is the one who knows what is best in our lives to best serve Him!

It is quite easy to get caught up in what is going on around us and think that is what God wants in or lives; but often we are called aside by a gentle whisper from God to come forward in a new way. What we do at that time is going to be a key moment, or cornerstone, in our walk with God. Elisha was willing to make sure others heard what God wanted in his own life – I’m sure the rest of the family would have wondered whether this was the right thing to do… This was one twelfth of the oxen, yoke and ploughs the family had!

Elisha was probably bold enough to tell the family what was happening and how much God meant to him, after all he has just destroyed his life of ploughing with the family! He did not ignore Elijah but rather took the opportunity to spread the news of his calling into ministry with those who meant the most around him. Too often we ignore the people closest to us instead of allowing them to see just how much God means to us!

Points to Ponder:
Have you ignored anyone who has asked you to follow God in a new way?

How far are you willing to go with God?