Elijah- Preparing for the Future

On Sundays, we're continuing our look at the life of Elijah, the Old Testament prophet.

It's human nature to wonder about the future. Often, people will ask God for guidance, wisdom and direction when making both short or long-term plans. Many times, we are simply called to trust God and follow Him by faith. But sometimes, as in I Kings 19, God lays out a specific plan of action as He did for Elijah. As Elijah struggles with depression, in verses 15 and 16, Elijah is told what steps to take next (and he is reminded that God will take care of him- verses 17 and 18).

Here's the Point: While we often want to know God's will, we don't often act on what we already know to do. In the case of Elijah, even after God shared a three-step plan with him, there is no record that Elijah followed the plan God had graciously laid out for him. While Elijah is told to anoint Elisha as his successor, Elijah simply calls Elisha as his assistant. Not a way to prepare for the future.