A few weeks ago I posted a blog about Elijah. In the end of that story, Elijah was given Elisha to help rise up as his replacement when he went to be with the Lord. He was God’s gift to Elijah in a time of great loneliness and despair. The two of them lived life together, learned from one another, and served the Lord together. Elisha had the privilege to watch a man full of the Holy Spirit serve as his example on how to live a life pleasing to God and how to serve his people.
Elijah poured into Elisha and taught him all he knew, until one day, he told Elisha to stay, while he went on without him. Elisha was petrified of losing him and cried out saying, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” Even when prophets came to him saying, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?”, he hushed them saying, “yes, I know it; keep quiet.” He did not want to admit that the man that taught him everything he knew about God would be taken from him that day. He struggled to believe that the Lord was all he needed and that he was ready to take Elijah’s place.
(The view from the island we visited on our off day)
As Elijah and Elisha approached the Jordan river, Elijah rolled up his cloak, struck the water, and the water parted until the two of them could walk through. Once on the other side, chariots and horses of fire separated them and Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw and cried, tearing his clothes-he was devastated by the loss of his dearest friend and afraid to go on without him.
Eventually, he picked up his master’s cloak and struck the water, saying, “where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Immediately the water parted and he crossed over, meeting the crowd of prophets who declared that the spirit of Elijah rested on him. He may not have had his friend and master anymore, but the same God that empowered Elijah to do incredible works, now rested on Elisha. From then on he was able to lead the people with the power of God resting upon him and do great works through the Holy Spirit.
(A few of my teammates and I with some boys all named James Bryan)
As I left for the Race, this has been my experience. In the past couple of years, I have found an amazing church, lived in awesome community, and gone through both discipleship and counseling. Those people had become my Elijah in my own time of loneliness and despair. I learned how to love and serve the Lord through their example and loved living life with them. I was terrified to leave. After being poured into for so long, the thought of not having them to lean on for spiritual guidance worried and saddened me.
Then, someone shared this story from 2nd Kings with me and it gave me hope and peace. The Lord has called me to leave my Elijah and go unto the world declaring the Gospel and loving the lost and the broken. However, like Elisha, He has not sent me across the Jordan alone-for He is with me. The very Spirit that empowers my discipler and my counselor, empowers me too!
(Teaching Antoinette to swim)
I have seen this during my first two weeks in the Philippines in so many ways. He has empowered me with boldness I have never had to help lead my squad in worship. He is empowering me with discernment to sense darkness in people and situations, which has allowed my team to know when to stop everything and pray. He has empowered me with love beyond my capacity for these people and a compassion that brings me to tears. He has empowered me with courage to start sharing my testimony and the belief that it will bring freedom. He has empowered me to transition from a life of being poured into, to a life of pouring out to both my team and every single person I encounter.
(Fell in love with this girl, whose big brown eyes did all her talking)
I thought and feared that without my Elijah, my faith and my strength wouldn’t be enough. I thought that without these people pouring into me I would fall apart. Instead, I have found that Christ has been the one holding me up all along. He is the only one I need and every single night when I think that I have nothing left to give, He fills me up to overflow for the next day. He has given me a wonderful team that fights for each other and serves one another, but ultimately, I have learned that I need only Him.
The same Spirit that empowers my Elijah, empowers me. So, while I was hesitant and saddened to watch the Lord take them away, I stand now at the Jordan with the Spirit and the cloak of everything they have taught me and am watching Him part the waters in two-stepping out with boldness, in awe of the beauty of a perfect God, who doesn’t need me, but delights in using me and empowering me to further His kingdom.
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1st photo by Saige and the rest by Lindy 🙂
