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Grasp the Great

Other than the Ascension of our Savior, Jesus, Himself, I cannot think of a more incredible description in Scripture of passing from earth to heaven than the taking of Elijah into heaven. Talk about a dramatic exit: A chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire carried the prophet Elijah in a whirlwind from the riverbank of the Jordan to heaven’s gates.

As an eyewitness to this scene, Elisha made a response that was also dramatic. Seeing his beloved mentor depart to be with God had to be bittersweet. On the one hand, he certainly felt joy knowing that this prophetic patriarch would spend eternity with the Lord. 

But there was also a painful reality: Elisha would miss his mentor’s presence here on earth. And despite receiving his request for a spiritual “double portion” of prophetic anointing, Elisha faced an unknown future. Just because he trusted God does not mean that Elisha would not feel some apprehension about the remainder of his life.

In this parting of the prophets, it is important to notice that Elijah let go of his mantle. Some people become so enamored of what they carry that they forget who carries them. Some believers make idols of their titles, positions or authority, using their mantles to elevate themselves rather than serve others. Some—maybe in particular those who have platforms, whether they serve as pastors, ministers, Bible teachers, evangelists, prophets, worship leaders or vital staff members—cling to their positions rather than the One who gave the positions to them in the first place.

Never forget that the God of the mantle is much more important than the mantle of God. Sometimes you have to let go of what you love in order to go to the next level. It can feel frustrating, scary, even nerve-wracking to leave the joy of serving God in one capacity for the unknown role you are called to fill. But sometimes you have to let go of a mantle in order to draw closer to your Mantle-Maker.

Sometimes, we simply need to let go of the good in order to grasp the great.

Questions to Ponder: When have you experienced the fulfillment of a promise from God? How long had you been waiting for that season of change? What did you learn about keeping your hand to the plow from the experience?