“I don’t need a successor, only willing hands to accept the torch for a new generation.” Billy Graham
Gilgal
And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:1
In our devotion today, we will be talking about preparation. Preparation before ministry is vital. Jesus, Himself, did not begin to minister until He had spent nearly thirty years in preparation beforehand.
We may ask why Elijah chose to begin his journey at Gilgal, which means ‘rolling’, and also why it was from there that Elisha followed his master. Let us look at what the word says to us.
For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. Joshua 5:5
The people of Israel had been in the wilderness for forty years but they had now crossed over to the Promised Land with the help of the Lord, who had miraculously dried up the waters of the flooded Jordan River. Many of the males who had been born in the wilderness were not circumcised and the Lord wanted them to be circumcised before they entered the land. Joshua obeyed the Lord in performing the circumcision on the day of the first Passover after crossing the Jordan River. Soon after this significant event, the Lord responded to the obedience of Joshua saying, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day. Joshua 5:9
Gilgal was a significant place for Elijah’s journey as he wanted to fulfill his call of ministry there and for Elisha, it was the right place to start his ministry. For Joshua, Gilgal was where he heard and obeyed God when he circumcised all the male Israelites. If we are to serve God in any way, the first step is total obedience. If we live in disobedience, we can move where we are not supposed to move in our ministry or go where God did not send us, which will cost us dearly. The second is circumcision of our hearts that makes it tender and receptive towards God to know His will, purposes and leading for our lives..
Dear Lord,
Thank You for this morning. Help me to hear and obey Your call so that I may be able to fulfill Your desire in my life. Circumcise my heart so that I may love You more each day and walk in steadfastness and obedience. Amen.
God bless you,
Theo and Manju