SCRIPTURE
"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. Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his servant." (1 Kings 19:20)
OBSERVATION
Elijah was to anoint Elisha to succeed him as a prophet. He found Elisha in the field with twelve yoke of oxen, driving the twelfth pair. Before Elisha followed Elijah he want back and said good-bye to his family. Then he slaughtered the oxen, chopped up the plow, and set out to follow Elijah.
Elisha's commitment to follow Elijah as prophet (follow God's call on his life) meant he jumped in wholeheartedly. He was not going back. He sold out his old life to be sold out to Elijah and his new calling. What if the new gig didn't work? It didn't' matter. By faith he got rid of it all and set out, trusting God for his future. God calls us to total abandonment and surrender to his purpose and mission.
APPLICATION
I've got to kill the cow. That old thing I hang on to just in case. Just in case this following Jesus thing doesn't work, I may need a fall back position. But there is no fall back position. It's either all Jesus or nothing else. What oxen do I have that I need to slaughter? What is the plowing equipment that I need to burn? Elisha illustrated Jesus teaching that "no one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom." I need to look ahead. Trust God for my future. He calls me to a life of total surrender. That means letting go of all else until I'm just holding him. He is enough.
PRAYER
Lord, I need to release my grip on the things that hold me so I can hold on to you.
