‘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 attendant.’ 1 Kings 19:21 (NIV).
Elisha’s ministry began with him slaughtering the oxen that he owned, feeding the cooked meat to share with others and then burning his ploughing equipment. He then set off to become Elijah’s attendant. Elisha could never return to his old way of life because he had destroyed all that his past livelihood depended upon. This was the end of Elisha the farmer and the beginning of Elisha the prophet.
It doesn’t matter whether we are trying to lose weight, amend a broken relationship, enter university, write a book, plan for a business venture or saving money to get out of debt. The first step is always the longest step and the hardest.
We can’t just take a step forward into the future; we also have to eliminate the possibility of moving backward into the past. That’s how we go after goals. That’s how we break addictions. That’s how we reconcile relationships. To begin a new chapter, we must end an old chapter.
Elisha didn’t need to burn his ploughing equipment to follow Elijah, but it made a statement. More specifically, it was a statement of faith. There was no turning back. When God calls us we need to do the same. Burn our bridges on the past and move forward.
Prayer:
‘Heavenly Father, give me the courage and conviction to move into all that you have planned for me. Help me to break with the past as you make a way for me to follow into what lays ahead. Thank you.’
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
AMEN!
Final Thoughts:
Often we fail at moving into something new simply because we have not successfully severed ties with the past. This could mean making some hard choices. Leaving peers who are holding us back, moving away from old corruptive habits or lifestyles or even moving to a new place of residence. Whatever it takes, in order to grow into all the good that God has for us, we must be prepared to start afresh with no ties to the past, just as Elisha did.
What statement of faith is God calling us to make at this time so that we can move with Him into something new?
Be Greatly Blessed!
