Tie up your garments, and take this flask in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 Kings 9.1
Elisha commanded his Assistant Prophet to anoint Jehu king of Israel, but that wasn’t Elisha’s job, much less his assistant’s. God told Elijah anoint Elisha, Hazael, and finally Jehu. He got right on the first and called Elisha. After some understandable delay, he eventually anointed Hazael. Then things got busy. Elijah was distracted by war, some royal intrigue, false prophets and, of course, meetings. That last part’s not in the Bible, but there are always meetings. You’re no Elijah, but by now you’ve realized that this is the job that ever ends. It took Elijah’s protégé’s protégé to finish his work because this job isn’t about a Sunday, or a century even.
It took Elijah’s protégé’s protégé to finish his work because this job isn’t about a Sunday, or a century even.
Your ministry started before you. God will send someone else after you. Whether you’re the new pastor or the first pastor, or one of the pastors you’re just the next man up doing the work the last guy didn’t finish. If that sounds futile, maybe this will help. Elijah never anointed a new king for Israel, but God still sent flaming chariots to gather him to his reward. That doesn’t sound like he’s disappointed. It sounds like he knew his servant almost quit, caught his breath and then spent the rest of his life doing all he could. That’s your one job.
