Breaking Free From The Mundane Series

But so many people choose to believe that the solution is to just do even more of what already isn’t really working

——————————————————————————————————————————

SLIDE: Elijah approaches Elisha on Plow

——————————————————————————————————————————

Walter Brueggemann, one of my favorite Old Testament Theologians, has a book on the role of Old Testament prophets, and the title of it is, “Finally comes the Poet.”

In a world that has gotten monotonous and boring, it’s the faithful voice of God’s people that breathes new life into the situation. Finally, there’s poetry. There’s a reason to sing.

Elisha could have remained in the same routine as most of his contemporaries. He was working on his parents property where there were 12 teams of oxen, and he was working with the 12th team. And then Elijah interrupted him. He put his mantle around him as a way to say, “You’re going to be my apprentice.”

Elisha could have stuck with the same things that everyone else was doing, but he chose to be different.

It says he broke the yoke, and used it to create a fire, then he butchered the oxen, and prepared a great feast for everyone.

There was no going back. He was going to step out on faith, and trust that God would have something in store for him.

——————————————————————————————————————————

SLIDE: 2 Kings 2:9-14

——————————————————————————————————————————

I’m sure it was LONG before Elisha felt ready that he was not only an apprentice of Elijah, but he was soon to step into the very shoes of Elijah.

2 Kings 2:9-14

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” (2 mouthfulls) 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.