"God Pause Daily Devotional" The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 20 June 2016 with Scripture 1 Kings 19:15-16; 19-21

"God Pause Daily Devotional" The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 20 June 2016 with Scripture 1 Kings 19:15-16; 19-211 Kings 19:15 Adonai said to him, “Go back by way of the Dammesek Desert. When you get there, anoint Haza’el to be king over Aram. 16 Also anoint Yehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Isra’el, and anoint Elisha the son of Shafat of Avel-M’cholah to be prophet after you.

19 So he left and found Elisha the son of Shafat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he himself was behind the twelfth. Eliyahu went over to him and threw his cloak on him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Eliyahu and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother good-bye; then I will follow you.” He answered, “Go; but return, because of what I did to you.” 21 Elisha stopped following him. Then he took the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them, cooked their meat over the wooden yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people to eat. Then he got up, went after Eliyahu and became his servant.

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As an unrepentant fan of the Game of Thrones television show, I recall the character Jon Snow receiving the black cloak that marked him a brother of the Night Watch, guardian of the realm. Taking on this mantle was not just a symbol of what he was to become but also a powerful symbol of what he would no longer be: free to travel, love, marry or choose his own future. It was a noble "cloaking" and a fearsome one. So it is with Elisha. So it is for us as we take on the mantle of discipleship. While discipleship is "good news!" primarily about what our life will be, we no longer define ourselves. Rather it is Christ who defines us. It is a holy cloaking, fearsome and filled with promise.
Calling God, whether narrow or broad, make our shoulders strong for the mantle. Draw us irresistibly into the newness of being yours. Uplift us for the task of discipleship. Make our hearts stout for the fearsome hope that is a life lived in you. Amen.
Chris Bellefeuille
Pastor, Valley of Peace Lutheran Church, Golden Valley, Minn.
Master of Divinity, 2003
1 Kings 19:15 Then the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place...
19 So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him.
20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." Then Elijah said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?"
21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.[New Revised Standard Version]
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