Submission

I'm facilitating a Sunday School class on submission. We talked about Elisha as part the lesson this morning. Elisha was a prophet of God and started his ministry as Elijah's helper. When Elijah first met Elisha he was plowing a field with twelve yoke of oxen. As Elisha and the oxen passed by Elijah, Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha. Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah saying let me go say good bye to my father and mother then come and follow you! Elijah replied, "Go return! What have I done to you?" Elisha returned, slaughtered his oxen, used the yoke for firewood, cooked the meat and gave it to feed the poor then followed and served Elijah. This is an amazing example of submission. Elisha left everything he had to follow Elijah. Not only did he leave his possessions behind he actually took what he used to earn a living and gave it away then followed Elijah.

Can you imaging being so submitted that you would change everything in your life because you were called by God?  I can only imagine that Elisha was a successful farmer since he had twelve yoke of oxen. Elijah throws his cloak over Elisha as he's passing by and Elisha is ready to give up everything to follow Elijah. Even after Elijah to him to go back he still gave up everything. As we were discussing submission and Elisha this morning I thought of some other people who have willingly left everything they know to follow. Dan and Nancy Germo, Jason and Rebekkah Witt, countless other missionaries serving all over the world and soon the Kelly family. Tim, Chris, McKenna, Thomas, Kayden, and Micah will leave everything they know, and most of what they own, to travel half way around the world, establish a new home in a new place to follow the call God has placed on their lives. Like Elisha they will have to submit to God and reach a place of no going back, a place of being all-in, a place of no retreat and no surrender to follow God. I pray that I can submit my life with no reservations but when I think of what the Kelly's are doing I'm not sure I could and I am all the more humbled, blessed and amazed at what God is doing in their lives and that we can all be part of it. If you want to stay up-to date on their journey you can follow them at http://kellysinkenya.blogspot.com. If you're not signed up to follow their blog I would encourage you to sign up and let them know we are with them as they go forward.