Tuesday
Read 1 Kings 19:15-16 & 19-21
15 The Lord said, “Return to the wilderness near Damascus, then enter the city and anoint Hazael as king of Syria; 16 anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
19 Elijah left and found Elisha plowing with a team of oxen; there were eleven teams ahead of him, and he was plowing with the last one. Elijah took off his cloak and put it on Elisha. 20 Elisha then left his oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you.”
Elijah answered, “All right, go back. I'm not stopping you!”[a]
21 Then Elisha went to his team of oxen, killed them, and cooked the meat, using the yoke as fuel for the fire. He gave the meat to the people, and they ate it. Then he went and followed Elijah as his helper.
Footnotes:
1 Kings 19:20 All right … you; or Go on, but come back, because what I have just done to you is important.
Good News Translation (GNT)
Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
19 Elijah left and found Elisha plowing with a team of oxen; there were eleven teams ahead of him, and he was plowing with the last one. Elijah took off his cloak and put it on Elisha. 20 Elisha then left his oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you.”
Elijah answered, “All right, go back. I'm not stopping you!”[a]
21 Then Elisha went to his team of oxen, killed them, and cooked the meat, using the yoke as fuel for the fire. He gave the meat to the people, and they ate it. Then he went and followed Elijah as his helper.
Footnotes:
1 Kings 19:20 All right … you; or Go on, but come back, because what I have just done to you is important.
Good News Translation (GNT)
Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society
Think
Elisha is obviously quite a successful farmer; lots of oxen to plow a large field. But when he is called to the ministry he burns the yoke and braais the oxen - not to feed himself; but to feed the community. When we offer ourselves to God so that God can use us we often do things selfishly - hoping for praise or reward. Elisha shows us how to give and give generously of his life - and of his goods.
Pray
Lord you know how often we resent doing good; or offering ourselves - help us to follow you completely with all that we are and all that we have.
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