Give It Up
Today’s Verse:
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. ~1 Kings 19:21
We live in a time when commitment is based on the idea of, “What can I get out of something?” instead of, “What am I willing to give up?” Commitment is missing in employment, marriage, friendships, church membership, and service. What does it take to be committed? How does a person remain fully committed? Our devotion this morning exhorts us on how commitment is executed.
There is the designation for commitment.
Elisha was the heir apparent of his family farming business. He was set to inherit a business that would have made him very wealthy. Then, one day, the prophet Elijah came to him and cast the prophet’s mantle upon him. When this happened, Elisha knew immediately that God had given him a calling much bigger than plowing: he was called to be a preacher. He would no longer be in the business of making money: he was in the business of making disciples for the Lord. We must remember that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. It was a calling and designation where there was no turning back. Has God called you to serve Him?
There is the decision for commitment.
We are told that as soon as the mantle was cast on Elisha, “he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah.” There was no discussion. There was no deliberation. There was no delay. He dropped everything that he was doing and immediately followed Elijah. To refuse the calling is disobedience. Elisha made the most important decision of his life. He decided to follow Elijah wherever it took him and whatever was required of him. It was not centered on what it would do for his career. It was centered on obedience. Our obedience to God from the get-go tells us how much God is able to trust us. Are you vacillating or wishy-washy regarding God’s calling in your life?
There is the demonstration in commitment.
Elisha did something that, since then, clearly defined and demonstrated how commitment is fulfilled. He took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled them with the plowing instruments, and gave them to the people to eat. His act demonstrated that he was not tied to the farming business any longer. It demonstrated that he was leaving everything that he once did all behind him. It did not have the same value to and for him as it once did. Elisha publicly testified that he was “all in” regarding his call to serve the Lord full-time with his life. Many of us cannot and will not let go of things that control us. As a result, our commitment is partial instead of total. What is it that we need to put in the pot and boil to show that we have parted ways with the past and are in all the way with the call of God?
There is the duty in commitment.
After boiling the oxen and instruments, he arose and followed Elijah. He had a new path to start on. He had a new urgency driving him. He needed to follow after Elijah and learn everything he needed to know in order to best serve the Lord. Until the Lord took Elijah up to Heaven, Elisha remained steadfast in following Elijah in every step. No wonder God used Elisha in the incredible way that He did.
Are you all in when it comes to commitment? Are you holding on when you need to let go? Follow Elisha’s example and be all in!
Have a committed God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Job 1-4