Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings 2:15-18.
“Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” 2 Kings 2:15-18.
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We notice Elisha’s steadfastness. Elisha personally heard what Elijah said, and Elisha personally saw the chariot of fire and horses of fire take Elijah up. See 2 Kings 2:1-14. Elisha received a mantle and a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elisha knew that he was taking over Elijah’s ministry.
But, the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him tried to appeal to Elisha’s pride and urged him to allow a search party for Elijah. Although Elisha did say: “Send.”, he did not do it out of any hope that it might be possible that they might find Elijah. It was likely that he did so to just give them off his back. “But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” …” Verse 17.
In summary, it is likely that the sons of the prophets said things and made Elisha temporarily feel like he should not resist. After all, would it not be good to try to find Elijah?! But, Elisha himself did not consider that he himself had wavered. Elisha “said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” Verse 18.
Likewise, today, generally, we will experience other Christians saying things that superficially makes sense and appeal to our pride, even to our Christian sense of duty. There is the danger that we can be distracted and delayed from fulfilling our ministry. We must be steadfast and resist from doing what merely may be good in order to do what we know is best and to fulfill our ministry.
Specifically, today, we see a lot of churches and people get distracted and delayed by trying to be social services to their church members and the outside community. Although social services can be good work, it can dominate and push out the primary duties of the church such as to preach and teach God’s word, to pray, and to praise God through singing in the best congregational worship service that we can provide. Doing social services attracts more praise than preaching and teaching God’s word from both other Christians and the outside world. Social services is a better way to increase attendance, membership, and giving.
But, we are called to be steadfast and to fulfill our ministry.
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 