Saturday 12 December 2009

Background

Elisha has already been appointed the successor of the prophetElijah, and now the time has arrived for Elijah to go and forElisha to take over. I am sure that we have all been in a situationwhere we have taken over a job or role from someone else. Sometimesthey stick around to support us, other times it is sudden and wefeel like we are dropped in the deep end knowing that other peopledepend on us.

But for Elisha this is so much more than just a job. It is abouttaking responsibility for a people and at the same time it is a sadand difficult farewell to Elijah. Maybe it is more like what wemight feel at the passing of a generation when parents are passingon. There is the tremendous sense of loss and the need to pick upand carry on, while knowing things will never be the same.

So what do you ask of the departing person? What would be thedefining characteristic that has set them apart that we would mostlike to have passed on to us? For Elisha it is Elijah's spirit, andhe wants all that can be had of it.

Perhaps we should look at this the other way round. What is themain characteristic that people might see in us at the moment? Isit something we would be happy for them to ask for when we leave tobe passed on to them? What a tribute for Elijah to have Elisha askhim for this, a tribute to the way Elijah followed the Lord, to hiscloseness to the Lord, to his relationship with the Lord.

Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind and it is believed by many thathe did not die, which is why a place is still kept for him at everyPassover meal. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus in this Adventseason, maybe we should wonder if our relationship with Godinspires others, as Elijah inspired Elisha.

To Ponder

Think of someone whose relationship with God hasinspired you. What would you most like to inherit from them?

What would you most like others to see in yourrelationship with God and want to inherit from you? Do you thinkthey see enough to want it now? What might you do about it?