AUGUST 21, 2015
Continuing with Christ
Whoever
loses his life for My sake will find it. — Matthew 16:25
Read:
1
Kings 19:19-21
As a child, my favorite week of the summer was
the one I spent at a Christian youth camp. At the end of the week, I’d sit
elbow-to-elbow with friends in front of an enormous bonfire. There, we would
share what we had learned about God and the Bible and sing. One song I still
remember focused on deciding to follow Jesus. The chorus contained an important
phrase: “no turning back.”
When Elisha decided to follow the prophet
Elijah, Elisha did something incredible that made it difficult, impossible
really, for him to return to his prior occupation of farming. After going home and
having a farewell banquet, Elisha “took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them” (1
Kings 19:21). Leaving his way of life, he burned up his plowing equipment. He
roasted the freshly butchered meat over the blaze and fed everyone present.
Then “[Elisha] arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (v. 21).
Nothing compares to what we gain when we
follow Jesus.
Giving ourselves to God, who deserves our
devotion, often comes with a price. At times, it means making difficult
decisions about relationships, finances, and living arrangements. However,
nothing compares with what we gain when we continue on with Christ. Jesus said,
“Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for
My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25).
Father, help me to see if there’s something
You want me to leave behind to follow You completely.
Jesus is looking for fulltime followers.
INSIGHT:
It is often difficult to understand the
significance of some events in scripture without a knowledge of the cultural
context. Today’s story of Elijah and Elisha is an example of this. Two elements
that carry significance are the placing of the cloak on Elisha (19:19 niv) and
the slaughtering of the oxen to feed the people (v. 21). The placing of the cloak
represented a significant calling. A person could not simply choose to be
Elijah’s apprentice; that person was chosen and it was a great honor. The
slaughtering of the oxen, the burning of the plowing equipment, and the feeding
of the people signified a deliberate leaving of Elisha’s former life to follow
Elijah. It was a public statement of Elisha’s new identity. J.R. Hudberg
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015
