August 2, 2024 8:00 pm
Barbara passed away before she could finish a sweater she was knitting for her great-grandson, Ethan. The sweater was entrusted to the hands of another avid knitter to be completed thanks to an organization that connects volunteer crafters—“finishers”—with those whose loved ones have departed this life before finishing their projects. The “finishers” lovingly invest their time and skill to bring closure to a task that provides comfort to those who are grieving.
God appointed a “finisher” for the prophet Elijah’s work too. Elijah was lonely and discouraged at how the Israelites were rejecting God’s covenant and killing prophets. In response, God instructed Elijah to “anoint Elisha . . . to succeed [him] as prophet” (1 Kings 19:16). This ensured that the labor of proclaiming God’s truth would continue long past Elijah’s death.
To show Elisha that God had called him to succeed Elijah as God’s prophet, Elijah “threw his cloak around [Elisha]” (v. 19). Since a prophet’s cloak was used to indicate one’s authority as God’s chosen spokesman (see 2 Kings 2:8), this act made Elisha’s prophetic call clear.
As believers in Jesus, we’ve been called to share God’s love with others and “declare [His] praises” (1 Peter 2:9). Though the task may outlive us too, we can be assured that He’ll sustain the work and will continue to call other “finishers” to the sacred work of making Him known.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Kirsten Holmberg, and I called our reading, Being Finishers. Barbara passed away before she could finish a sweater she was knitting for her great-grandson, Ethan. The sweater was entrusted to the hands of another avid knitter to be completed thanks to an organization that connects volunteer crafters—finishers—with those whose loved ones have departed this life before finishing their projects.
The finishers lovingly invest their time and skill to bring closure to a task that provides comfort to those who are grieving. God appointed a finisher for Elijah's work too. The prophet was lonely and discouraged at how the Israelites were rejecting God's covenant and killing prophets. In response, God instructed Elijah to anoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet. This ensured that the labor of proclaiming God's truth would continue long past Elijah's death. To show Elisha that God had called him to succeed Elijah as God's prophet, Elijah threw his cloak around Elisha. Since a prophet's cloak was used to indicate one's authority as God's chosen spokesman, this act made Elisha's prophetic call clear. As believers in Jesus, we've been called to share God's love with others and declare his praises.
Though the task may outlive us too, we can be assured that he'll sustain the work and will continue to call other finishers to the sacred work of making him known. Our scripture reading that I've selected for today is from 1 Kings chapter 19, verses 14 through 21. He replied, The Lord said to him, Go back the way you came, and go to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel, Mahola, to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elijah will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him. So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elijah then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, he said, and then I will come with you. Go back, Elijah replied.
What have I done to you? So Elijah left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them.
He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. Let's pray. Father, please use us to accomplish your work in the world. Help us to respond to your calling and to live out that calling faithfully. We pray it in your name. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Kirsten Holmberg, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-08-02 20:33:07 / 2024-08-02 20:34:54 / 2