I Will Not Leave You

2 Kings 2:2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 

There are many times in life that life itself seems to be repeating. I’m not talking about Déjà vu moments. I am talking about patterns of behavior and activity actually repeat.

We have one such moment recorded in our Scripture text for the day. Second Kings records the ministry of Elisha the prophet, Elijah’s successor. The role of prophet weighed heavy during this period in the nation’s history. Judah and Israel had split over political and religious lines. Israel, the northern kingdom, had become increasingly rebellious and idolatrous over time. The prophets job was to speak righteousness to those in power.

In the first scene of this book we read of the evil king Ahaziah on his death bed asking for advice from the pagan gods. The prophet intervenes, but not until the LORD establishes His reputation as the only True God by sending fire to burn up two troops of soldiers sent to bring Elijah forcibly to the king. Quite an account. The third set of troops comes with humility and is successful.

And now the time for Elijah’s life here on earth to come to an end. His chosen successor is Elisha and Elisha’s job in the present moment is to stick with Elijah no matter what happens. If Elisha sees Elijah’s departure, then Elisha will get a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. (Please read this section for yourself. So much is there.)

Three times Elijah tells Elisha that he must go somewhere else, and three times Elisha insists on staying with him with the words “I will not leave you.” Such dedication and resolve. He is determined to persist in this quest. Nothing is going to get in the way of Elisha’s desire for intimacy with the LORD. “I will not leave you.”

Do you notice the parallel with the words of Peter the apostle? Peter insisted that even if all the other disciples forsook Jesus, he would not. But Peter failed in just a few short hours.

And the parallel with what happens in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked his disciples to watch and pray with him. He asks three times and returns to find them sleeping three times. The disciples failed in just a few short minutes.

You see staying faithful to the LORD takes self-sacrifice and dedication to the task. Service of the LORD and of others is not an easy, one off event. If we say we are going to follow, it means we will have to forgo what we want, what is convenient, what is easy. We will have to give up what we want, be inconvenienced, and do the hard stuff.

So today after Resurrection Sunday has happened, what is Jesus calling you to do that will require self-sacrifice and dedication? What does that look like in practical terms? What will it cost you?

But as in Elisha’s case, the rewards were exactly what was promised. He did receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. The book of 2 Kings goes on to record the double miracles the LORD performed through Elisha. Was it worth the “I will not leave you” promise!