There are moments when we stop, when we are quiet on the inside and a voice emerges, "Treasure this moment because your life is flying by!" What difference are we making in those around us? What are we passing on to our children and friends that will lead them more fully into life with God? Legacy, legacy, legacy...
Prayer
Gracious Jesus, give us eyes to see our day to day tasks and challenges from your eternal perspective. You have called us to spread your loving Kingdom in this world. Help us keep this purpose ever before us in our work, our parenting, our marriages, our day to day living! In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.
2 Kings 2
Comments
A mantle was a garment worn in biblical times on the upper body. It was most often worn at night and during inclement weather as a protective garment, keeping in warmth and shielding one from precipitation or excessive sun. In some cases, it also was an embroidered garment symbolic of authority or power. Priests, prophets, and Kings sometimes wore these.
Elijah's term of service for God as a leading prophet is about done in today's text. Elisha persistently follows Elijah on his final tour to visit other prophetic groups under his leadership. Elijah keeps telling Elisha to leave him, but Elisha does not. Boldly, Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit, probably meaning his prophetic spirit given by God. After Elijah is swept up by the heavenly chariots of fire, Elisha picks up Elijah's mantle, his power, his prophetic ability. God appoints Elijah's prophetic successor.
It's so easy to be consumed by the busyness of daily tasks that we lose sight of the fact that the world can and will go on without us one day. Someone else will do our job and live in our home and take up our volunteer positions. None of us is irreplaceable in the positions we hold. Not many of us will have statues made of us or have books written about us or have our names remembered in history classes. However, each of us is called to shape the world our children will inherit. We each have a call to mentor those who will replace us.
People seeking to follow Jesus must teach others to live in God's ways just as Jesus did. He taught and lived by example. His life showed people the Kingdom of love and healing and justice by doing love and healing and justice. What kind of mantle are we passing? Who is God calling us to pass his life to?
Prayer
Help us to seize the moments in our relationships as opportunities to mentor people Godly living so that they may find wholeness and eternal life in you Jesus. Help us to persistently follow you, our mentor and God, as Elisha followed Elijah. We must have the life you give so that we can share it with others! Amen.
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