Owning your call

In 2 Kings chapter 2 we find Elijah the prophet moving restlessly from town to town with his disciple Elisha right on heels.  All the while Elisha was trying not to lose sight of Elijah’s mission. Elisha was there to see Elijah’s ministry be and do what it was called to be. Twice he had been stopped by the sons of the prophets in Bethel and in Jericho where they told him that soon his master would be taken from over him. Twice he spoke only to tell them to be silent. Elisha was not ignorant as to what was going on. He was doing what he had been called to do since he left his father’s fields. He had left everything to follow Elijah. He had left his family to see that another man’s ministry, now his covering, would be completed as it was meant to be. He had taken ownership in a ministry that wasn’t his, but it was his covering and he was there to see his stock in that covering thru to the end. Even if he had to carry Elijah himself.

You see when the sons of the prophets were coming to him what they were trying to get across to Elisha was that soon he would be in charge of his own ministry. No longer did he have to take orders from Elijah. Soon he wouldn’t have to consult with Elijah about when where and why. It would be his call, his ministry. What they did not understand about Elisha was that he wasn’t just a helper in another man’s calling but he had covered his covering with blood, sweat and tears. He had placed himself in a covenant with a vision that he may not have been given but he connected with it. He had enforced it, lifted it, carried it, hauled it, fell with it, climbed with it, his soul had become entwined with it. In his own vision his ministry could not be complete until all had been finished with the ministry that had called and covered him.

You can’t begin to start walking out a vision until you have helped fulfill a vision. You’ll never have a “great” ministry until you have sacrificed to see some else’s ministry be great. I’ve witnessed several ministries come and go in my short time and those that are short lived usually have one thing in common it’s all about their ministry. Elisha was privileged to have the foresight to see this.  The greatest ministry to ever grace the earth was that of Jesus and even after his triumphant war waged with death, hell and the grave, He still gave way to the ministry of His Fathers kingdom. He told his disciples that he must go so that the comforter could come. Now Jesus had by all accounts proven that he was the real deal. He had the keys to hell in his pocket and no one would have blamed him if he had hung out and basked in the glory of it all. Jesus knew that His part played, as great as it was, still was just a piece of the work, the ministry of His Father.  The thing about having vision is realizing that vision is not about the one who sees but rather what is seen. Our part as followers of Christ is to fulfill the work of the kingdom on the earth. His kingdom come His will be done.  As I am typing this out, I am reminded of my call and the vision God has placed in me for several things. I don’t have a clue how to even begin to get started on a couple of things and then a couple of them I’m pursuing with everything I got.  I am honored and humbled that I have been chosen for the assignments that I have. I have had moments that within myself I have thought man I did good. Only to realize later that was the farthest thing from the truth. If I had gotten out of the way and allowed God to work without my input it would have gone so much better. We are vessels. We are to be filled and we are to pour out. Simple process when we allow it to be about the kingdom and not ourselves. We have been given the rights and promises of a covenant that God himself has insured. What makes us think we can better that. We must learn to own what God has given us no matter how great or small. It is your assignment and what you where created to do. You are not the only person that is called nor will you be the last. You are not a hot commodity; you are a vessel. So, take the time to be filled and pray for direction as you pour out what you have been trusted to do. Own your part of it and do it with a spirit of excellence and love. God will take care of the rest. It’s what He does.