AS a child, I looked forward to our church's Sunday evening services. They were exciting. Sunday night often meant we got to hear from missionaries and other guest speakers. Their messages inspired me because of their willingness to leave family and friends-and at times, homes, possessions, and careers-to go off to strange, unfamiliar, and sometimes dangerous places to serve God.
Like those missionaries, Elijah left many things behind to follow God. Before God called him into service through Elijah, we don't know much about Elisha-except that he was a farmer. When the prophet Elijah met him in a field where he was plowing, he threw his cloak over Elisha's shoulders ( the symbol of his role as prophet) and called him to follow. With only a request to kiss his mother and father goodbye, Elisha immediately sacraficed his oxen, burned his lowing equipment, said good-bye to his parents-and followed Elijah.
Though not many of us are called to leave family and friends behind to serve God as fulltime missionaries, God wants all of us to follow Him and to " live as a believer in what ever situation the Lord has assigned to (us), just as God has called (us)." As I've often experienced, serving God can be thrilling and challenging no matter where we are even if we never leave home.
Dear Lord, equip us to be Your missionaries wherever You have placed us-near or far, at home or abroad.
God will show us how to serve Him wherever we are.
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