I am thankful to be up and running again. My computer has been down. I took it in yesterday for speak with an apple genius (funny name). As soon as I turned it on the hard drive kicked in and starting working again. Needless to say, I am thankful for the warning my hard drive gave me. It gave me a chance to back up my files.
I know some of you could hardly make it with out my daily blog. (joke) I would like to encourage you to to follow the blog of three of my friends. Travis Snode (missionary friend) and Austin Gardner (my pastor) both journal their daily devotions on their respective blogs. Also, my friend Jake in China writes articles that give you a real inside look into the life of someone in China who is passionate about preaching and teaching Jesus.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 2 Kings 2: 7-10
“Mind the gap”. I remember hearing this in the subways the first time I visited England. It helped keep us mindful of the gap between the walk way and the on coming train. It is a great way of letting you know that you see what you are mindful. When reading the life of Elijah and Elisha I look for lessons that will help me become a better apprentice.
I am intentionally and unashamedly looking to learn, copy, “steal”, replicate, and imitate every thing I can from the person that is mentoring me. From the Word of God and watching the life of other young men my age I have became ever so “mindful” of my need for a mentor. I have often said in context of the mentor/ apprentice relationship. “that the ability to discern a good idea from a great idea is much more rare than the ability to come up with many good ideas”. Even thought I am able to come up with an idea I need someone to guide me through the formulation and execution of it.
I do not know how I had never seen this passage. It says in verse 7 “And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off”. I had never noticed that 50 men went as far as the river with hopes of seeing God work from a distance.
I am asking God to convict me of the sins of pride, laziness, and self sufficiency. I do not want to be standing at the bank of the river with the 50 men when I could have a front row seat at what God is doing. I want to live life in the manner that Elijah did. Live so that young men who want to see God work would me drawn to walk with me until the very end.
I fully understand that this is not a parable and it is a historical narrative. It is all the same in the fact that there has and always will be people who “push to the front” and see first hand God do the impossible. There are a few young men who have shown a desire for the ministry in our youth ministry. May I live so that they will not want to miss any event, any opportunity to serve knowing that God works through my life and I can help them be used of God also.
