Now?

14 Jun

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,
as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;
he was following the twelfth.
Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,
“Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,
and I will follow you.”
Elijah answered, “Go back! 
Have I done anything to you?”
Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;
he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,
and gave it to his people to eat.
Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.  (1 Kgs 19:19-21)

We all have plans, do we not?  We are pretty good at making plans.  And when we make plans, we are pretty good at deciding all the steps necessary to complete those plans.

Which is why we do not like to make sudden decisions.

We are not good with sudden things.

We like to think things through, to pick and choose, to accept or reject.

God does not work like that.

When He calls, He wants us to respond.  That is why Jesus always spoke about being prepared so that, when He called or came for us, we would be ready.

It often appears to me that we have our values all turned around.  After all, there are many times that we respond immediately to friends.  Look at so many people and their smart phones.  They take them everywhere with them.  At home, at school, out to eat, in church, at ball games — they are instantly available.  If their friends text, they reply immediately, many times without skipping a beat in the conversation they are having with someone else.

But when God calls?

Him, we make wait.

We want to weigh our position.  We want to know what the cost will be.  We want to know, exactly, what is expected of us.

Is that because we do not trust God?  Is it because we are fearful of saying yes?  Is it because we are afraid to commit?

Whatever the reason, we need to look at why we make ourselves available to so many people and, at the same time, put God on hold.

FAITH ACTION:  Ask God to give you the grace to answer Him without delay when He calls you.