Over forty days and several hundred miles away from Jezreel and Jezebel, Elijah was exhausted, fearful for his life and discouraged. Discouraged because he had been unsuccessful in getting Jezebel to abandon her worship of Baal. Fearful because Jezebel had promised that she would make certain that he would be a dead man.
But God had an assignment for Elijah. God said, “Go anoint Elisha, son of Shiphat from Abel Meholah to be your successor.” When Elijah found Elisha, he was plowing his field. Not a lot of fanfare. Elijah simply took his mantle off his shoulders and placed it onto Elisha’s shoulders and backed away, giving Elisha a moment to reflect on the significance of the event. Elisha’s choice? “I will follow you!” Elisha said. With that he said good-bye to his parents and offered a sacrifice of the oxen he had been using to plow the field. [Reflection based on the Bible Reference – 1 Kings 19:19-21]
