Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“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. Elisha 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 Elisha 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.”
1 Kings 19: 19-21 (NIV)
I know this may seem obvious to say, but every sunrise starts a new day in our lives, presenting us with the chance to turn the page and to move on. To open the door to a brand new day of challenges, adventures and opportunities.
Opportunities to build on all the good of yesterday, learn from all the mistakes and disappointments, and to do what we may not have ever done before—all while continuing to grow into all we were meant to be.
But to do that, we have to turn the page.
We have to move from yesterday, and all the yesterdays of your past.
We have to move into the new day.
That is exactly what Elisha did.
The prophet Elijah had been a prophet for some time, and with God’s okay, he began looking for someone to take over for him. He found Elisha, and he threw his cloak over Elisha’s shoulders. Doing that with the cloak was symbolic of designating Elisha as his successor.
Elisha, was pleased, and almost ready. But he first wondered if it was okay if he went back to say goodbye to his mom and dad. Elijah gave him the okay, but reminded him to remember this new calling on his life, and to not to allow any worldly things to hold him back from moving on into a new day.
Elisha took him to heart, and made it clear that he understood. He turned the page, with emphasis, demonstrating that he was ready to move on. He turned the page by turning his plowing equipment into kindling—burned it up completely and at the same time, barbequed his oxen which had pulled the plows.
He put a period at the end of that page in his life. And in doing that he also left the past behind. He left his old way of life for the memory book. And he also left behind any regrets and guilt, shortcomings, successes, failures, and any of the mistakes or bad decisions which he may have made.
Of course, by burning his plowing equipment he eliminated the possibility of going backward into the past and that career field. He realized that he’d already been there, couldn’t go back, and needed to move on.
He was ready to step into his future to which he was being called.
That’s where God has each of us positioned each day. He has thrown the cloak over our shoulders, and is waiting for us to move forward with Him into all He has called us to. Waiting for us to choose to move with Him into all He has planned for us.
To burn the plowing equipment, to change what needs to be changed, to leave the past in the past—and move on into all the possibility of a brand new day.
And here’s the neat thing to remember as we stand at that moment in our lives—as He was with us in our yesterdays—He will be in our today and all our tomorrows—and is actually waiting for us, right now.
Turn the page.
In His Name– Scott
