Finding God in the WildernessSample

Focus

Reflect on today’s reading using these questions.

1. What might Elijah have felt when he was joined by Elisha?
2. What does Elisha need to leave behind to follow God’s call?

Elijah Gets a Helper

God was not put off by Elijah’s exhaustion, panic, fear, or despair. He did not respond to his prophet with anger or rebuke. Instead, he provided a helper, someone to carry on Elijah’s work into the future.

This chapter ends with Elijah finding Elisha and asking him to join him in his new ministry from God. Elisha agrees and signifies his willingness to leave his current life by killing, cooking, and eating the farm animals he was using for work. Elijah and Elisha work together until God takes Elijah up to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2) and Elisha continues the work of being God’s prophet.

Connect

1. Have you left behind parts of your past to respond to a call from God?
2. Have you ever felt that God was finished with you because of an experience of fear and despair?
3. What have you felt when you had someone to help you with a difficult task?
4. How might this chapter encourage you as you process a significant hardship, trauma, or transition in your life?

Dig Deeper

Psalm 30 is a psalm of praise thanking God for raising the writer out of a pit.

Read especially verses 1–3, 7–8, and 11–12.

Was this plan helpful?

We adapted this plan from the Restoring Hope Bible (American Bible Society, 2022).

Here are some ideas for the next steps in your journey.

• For further reflection: Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai are the same mountain, and Moses also fasts there for 40 days (see Deuteronomy 9:8–10). Read 1 Kings 19 again and compare it with Exodus 33:12—34:18.
• Visit traumahealinginstitute.org for more information and helpful program resources.