Keep Going!

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read 2 Kings 2:1-12 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

‘Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.’ 2 Kings 2:2

When we start a Lent devotional, like this, there can be a temptation to fall out of the habit of praying and listening to the Lord, daily. So, well done for staying with it so far.

In this last chapter of Elijah’s story, we see how he trusts the LORD and goes where the LORD leads, right until the very end, and beyond.

This relentless commitment to follow is something Elisha learnt from being with Elijah. Elijah gently suggests to Elisha that he can choose to stop following, but Elisha reaffirms his commitment to keep going with Elijah.

Elijah had learnt to trust the LORD. Though he didn’t always follow with courage or enthusiasm, he kept going, even when he got tired and grumpy about it. Elijah knew he wasn’t following a way of life or a set of ideas. He was following a person. The LORD is his name (LORD is a translation of God’s name ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah’, meaning ‘I am’) and Elijah talked with Him, often.

Prayer is how we grow in our relationship with the LORD. In prayer, we don’t just learn about God, we learn to be with Him, talking with Him and listening to Him. It is how we learn to recognise His voice, which leads us as we follow Him.

Elijah trusted God because he knew Him. Elijah was very honest with God at times too. He had learnt that God is faithful through all the highs and lows and the mundane things in life and so he kept following Him.

So let us keep going in prayer too, learning to trust God, speaking honestly with Him and to keep following Him through the rest of Lent, and beyond.

Let us pray: Lord, I commit to keep coming to you in prayer and to keep following you. Thank you that I can be honest with you when I pray. Help me to listen well to you. Help me to keep going, even when it is difficult and I want to give up, or when I get distracted. Amen

The Revd Claire Cooke, Lead Tutor for Formation at Emmanuel Theological College.