The young Elisha came from a wealthy family. He had a nice home and family who loved him and who loved God. He had enough food and many oxen to make his work easier. But God called Elisha to an even richer experience—a life of serving God through the power of the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t choose His servants based on what they can do; He chooses them based on what He can do through them.
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.
This act was a symbol of transferring power or authority from one person to another. In many churches still today, placing a special cloth worn by a church leader on someone can symbolize that someone is going to serve in a new way, taking on more responsibility. It’s kind of like giving someone a new uniform.
Look up what Jesus said about Elisha in Luke 4:27. Read before and after this verse to understand more about what Jesus was saying. Why did the people in the synagogue get so angry at Jesus?
Dear God, help me serve You by believing You can do extraordinary things. Amen.