Sunday 19 June 2016

Rose up and followed

So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant. – 1 Kings 19.21

Elijah called Elisha to follow him and be his primary disciple. What a shock that must have been! It is doubtful that Elisha even knew who this guy was who touched him with his cloak. That must have been some kind of symbol because Elisha asked to go and say goodbye to his family. He had to have known that this was a real decision with real ramifications.

Hw do we know that? Look what happened next. Elijah killed the oxen, made a fire from the yokes and the plough, and cooked ox stew for the people. The we got up and followed Elijah.

He burned his bridges and he followed.

This reminds of the disciples were going about their own business fishing away like they did every day. Notice that these men too were men who were busy at work. Jesus came along and offered to turn the fishermen into fishers of men. And what did they do? The left their nets and followed him just like Elisha left his work to follow Elijah.

I wonder how many of us are willing to follow Jesus the same way Elisha followed Elijah and the fishermen followed Jesus. When Jesus called they all dropped what they were doing to follow.

How about you and me? Are we willing to follow Jesus the same way today?

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