This spoke to me this morning. I’m not sure why. But since I’ve documented our journey thus far, I will do so again now.
“1. When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
2. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho. ” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7. Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.
8. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11. As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
12. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more.” {2 Kings 2:1-12, NIV}
The last highlighted part is what was used for today’s devotional in My Utmost For His Highest.
“It is not wrong to depend upon Elijah as long as God gives him to you, but remember the time will come when he will have to go; when he stands no more to you as your guide and leader, because God does not intend he should. You say – ‘I cannot go on without Elijah.’ God says you must.”
“{The river} Jordan is the type of separation where there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. You have to put to the test now what you learned when you were with your Elijah. You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it…alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come…and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.”
“Jericho is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things. When you come to your Jericho, you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God…you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.”
“At your Bethel you will find yourself at your wits’ end and at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you get to your wits’ end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don’t…stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament. Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and…pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.” {My Utmost….some emphasis mine}
I read that and felt everything stop inside me. I don’t exactly know what this means. Is it for me? My family? Or someone else, and I simply needed to write this?
I don’t know.
But, either way, when the moment arrives…go on. Without Elijah.
Remember, you’re not alone.
God is with you.
What God did for your Elijah…He’ll do for you.
What God did with your Elijah…He’ll do with you.
What God did through your Elijah…He’ll do through you.
And maybe….He’ll do even greater.
{Image courtesy of Flickr}
