If you have not done so before, please review the Background on the Program

As you start to review this episode, please know that YOU matter. Regardless of what you are struggling with, regardless of the depths of your sorrows and regardless of how lonely you feel, the Good News is that YOU matter. I hope the message below nourishes you in the most meaningful way to comfort you and strengthen you to keep climbing into the ring to face your battles.

Episode #3: Commitment

Today’s episode starts with a song from Credence Clearwater Revival, Someday Never Comes.

Please spend a few minutes listening to any version you can find on the internet.

————-

Welcome back…

I hope you enjoyed that song. Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) led by lead singer John Fogerty, played together under the name CCR for a short period of about 4 years and topped the charts with an eclectic style that blended some southern rock, country rock and blues to produce some wonderful music.  It was too bad that the band members just could not get along as they rocked up the charts and disbanded in the early 70s after a few short years of amazing success.  

The song Someday Never Comes highlights a trend we see a lot in every day life. Without a commitment to change or act, we go nowhere and that “someday” never comes because we fail to commit. We have all witnessed some painful break-ups of relationships because of a failure to commit. Conflicts in the home are the most heartbreaking of all of life’s struggles and many conflicts in the home start based on a failure to fulfill our commitments.

When we look into the ancient scriptures, we find some helpful examples to help guide our thoughts and actions in the story of the prophet Elijah and his understudy, the eventual prophet Elisha. 1 Kings Chapter 19 versus 19-21 (please find a version of this scripture on the internet).  

The backdrop of this situation is that the prophet Elijah was getting old and bit exhausted with all that he was dealing with as there were many false prophets during his time that challenged the power of God. God had instructed Elijah to appoint the next major prophet (Elisha) to begin mentoring him while Elijah still had the strength to continue.

As the story unfolds, Elijah approaches Elisha to anoint him as the next prophet. At the time, Elijah was plowing his fields with 12 oxen. He was a busy, hard-working family man. When Elijah told Elisha why he was coming to see him, Elisha responded positively to the offer and mentioned that he needed to first return home to organize his affairs and also say goodbye to his mother and father before he could leave and join in service with Elijah. 

Elijah, who had been through so much as a prophet for Israel, knew the kind of commitment that was needed to do the job. At that moment, with Elisha’s response to first take care of some things at home, Elijah felt Elisha was not ready to make the kind of commitment that was needed so Elijah left feeling disappointed.

Elisha eventually realizes the commitment he needs to make in service as a prophet of Israel and the understudy of Elijah.  He makes a decision to demonstrate his commitment to his new role. In verse 21 “He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.” In essence, Elisha burned his past and literally cooked his prior method of making a living to make a commitment that there is no turning back to his old life.  Elisha eventually caught up with Elijah and began his new life’s purpose as a prophet.

This message of commitment is a great example for us to ensure that we don’t look back on the important things in life and hear the cold reality that “someday never came” because we lacked a commitment. We all fall short from time to time. However, God’s faithfulness is never ending and even though we may fall short from time to time, we can start fresh today. God’s mercy is new every morning and we can start today to make the commitments we need to in order to reach our full potential.

Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• How have I demonstrated a lack of commitment to some important things in my life?

• What steps can I take to be stronger in my commitments today?

As you continue along in your journey, please remember we can always find redemption from our mistakes through God. While we may be struggling to forgive ourselves for some things we have done in the past, God’s faithfulness to forgive us and redeem us is never ending. All we have to do is ask.

As you continue to reflect on the message, please take a moment to search the internet to find and listen to Van Morrison sing, Whenever God Shines His Light.     

——————–

How can I help you today? My mobile is 269-370-9275 and my email is david@harvesttimepartners.com  

Please download some FREE resources at www.harvesttimepartners.com  I hope you will find them helpful in your journey.