No matter how much I read the Bible, I am no expert on it. There’s always a perspective someone shares that makes me sit and pay attention.
We were gathering as we usually do round the home and sitting down conversing. I personally was very excited because there was this person that I admire a lot who was going to share with us. When there are people I admire a lot talking, then I tend to sit and pay attention.
This brilliant person took us to a familiar episode in scripture of the prophet Elijah. I say familiar, because my wife and I love listening to the books of Samuel and Kings. It’s a lot better than any drama on television, even on repeat. So the episodes of Elijah were ones we had become very familiar with. So this brilliant person talks about what happens to Elijah after defeating the prophets of Baal and praying for the return of rain to the land of Israel after years of drought. We agreed that those two things were big feats and acts of God. So it comes as a little surprise to see God do those amazing acts and then get the blues and want to die when a death threat is received from Queen Jezebel.
You can check the episode in greater detail buy reading 1 Kings 19.
Something I didn’t pay attention to was the role of Elijah’s servant and God’s word to Elijah in their conversation at Mount Horeb. Elijah’s complaint to God is that despite doing what he was told he felt like he was the only one. This is an odd feeling when you recall that there was an assistant that was there looking out for the sign of rain. Not to mention Obadiah telling him of his efforts to keep some faithful to Yahweh in hiding. Nevertheless Elijah felt it pointless persisting under these circumstances.
God’s word of understanding and reassurance to Elijah was literally to take him out of his misery. Elijah is to appoint some kings to deal with matters and as well as them Elijah is to appoint his own successor. In essence, Elijah is to move on from just having an assistant to having an apprentice.
There was so much brought out by this brilliant person about the whole episode. A lot about what we are like and what God is like. It was a real privilege to sit and pay attention.
The word was timely though, because earlier that day I had reflected on the nature of relationships in life. There are people that you work with and can work with well, but they don’t really know you personally – you just do tasks together. There are those who come alongside you and are eager to learn from you. Then there are those people who you can look at as people who can go further than you have ever been. They can succeed you. There is something about pouring you life into theirs to serve them as the apprentice learning and then get to the stage where the apprentice can become the master.
Different dynamics in relationships can help tremendously to get a better idea of purpose in life. Having an apprentice can be of far greater value to the perpetuation of the call, than just having an assistant.
This is why it makes sense that Jesus calls us as apprentices or disciples not merely to assist Him in what He is doing. He calls us to learn from Him and then exercise mastery of service that allows others likewise to learn from Him.
Even when it gets too much for us, we can talk to God and He hears us and can relieve us. Just as long as we follow instructions to put things in place before we move on. Things in place like willing apprentices who can see Jesus in us and then be eager to pursue Him.
I am grateful to God for brilliant people in my life who renew a desire to learn more about God in His Word.
(Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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