We all have these moments in life where we know we have read the exact same passage of The Bible, over and over again; the stories are so familiar to us, the names, the characters, the plot (there is not plot-twist because we have read the entire Bible, we know the stories since our Sunday school days, we have songs about them, skits and dramas etc) we know what happened, and is going to happen, its not new to us.
But then there are these moments when the reading is entirely new to us. It is afresh, and it speaks to us in a brand-new way!!!
For me, I am overtly familiar with the Old Testament narratives, it is one of my favourite genres, and this time I found myself being reminded by a good friend on 1st Kings 19 11-18. A beautiful reminder on perseverance and staying faithful and hearing the gentle voice of God in the wilderness of our lives.
But then I found myself going further, and this is where it HIT me! The Fresh new part.
1st Kings: 19:21
So Elisha was working (plowing) in the field, and Elijah went to him and called him to join the full-time ministry. Elisha agrees, but then he does something really cool and dramatic.
“He returned to his oxen, killed them, and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh.”
I have come across this passage before, but it was only this time that it hit me!
Elisha breaks and burns his earthly security and possessions, sacrifices it, and enters the Lord’s ministry as a prophet. For a farmer that was his career, his job security, his pension plan, his financial security, his trust fund, that was all he had. The plow and the oxen! (By the way, oxen were expensive then and even today.) He breaks his wooden plow and makes a roasted meal from the oxen, because he realized he wouldn’t need them again.
We also find a similar reminder in Luke 9:62
“'No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'" (NIV).
Both passages talk about letting go, committing to the call, and not looking back.
It made me think of my (and our) context today, especially for those called in ministry.
What holds us back? What is our security? What do we rely on?
What needs to be broken down and burned up?
What is our Plow, or..
What is our Mjölnir? (Thor’s hammer).
We alone know the answers to these questions; if it is anything but Proverbs 3:5, we are in serious trouble.
But because we are carnal, and live in a carnal world, we are susceptible to carnal tendencies, and yes, including security. We all want a secure future, not just for ourselves, but our family, our loved ones. We don’t want to leave them hanging out in the cold. So, we toil and work hard and sweat and worry, to place things right, to seal the deal and secure the future, and at times maybe we are still holding on, and not breaking down that plow.
For Thor, his strength and worth came from the Mjölnir, but eventually even the Mjölnir was destroyed, and he found himself powerless. However, Thor eventually finds full power within himself because he is the son of Odin. That’s his true identity as the god of thunder! His heritage.
And so, as much as Norse mythology is pagan, I think there are a lot of cool comparisons between that and The Bible. (fyi for those who are unaware, Thor is my FAV MCU character!!!)
Our strength and security don't come from exterior sources, and Elisha realised that immediately. It took a tad longer for Thor, but better late than never...
You see, the Mjölnir and wooden plow can, and will eventually be smashed and destroyed.
It will turn to dust and ash, but
the Word of God will remain forever, and it is to this calling that we have committed our lives.
Commitment takes sacrifice, and to trust means submerging into the deep waters, the unknown, because we know Who is holding us. No matter what happens, our security and strength is not based on earthly validation or possessions.
May all who are called, grasp, identify and embrace our God given heritage.
No comments:
Post a Comment