Morning Devotional 070125 God is Our Safety Net

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

July 1, 2025

1 Kings 19:19-21

19 So Elijah departed from there and found Elisha, Shaphat’s son. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him. Elisha was with the twelfth yoke. Elijah met up with him and threw his coat on him. 20 Elisha immediately left the oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and my mother,” Elisha said, “then I will follow you.” Elijah replied, “Go! I’m not holding you back!” 21 Elisha turned back from following Elijah, took the pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Then with equipment from the oxen, Elisha boiled the meat, gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and served him.

Good Morning! To God be the Glory!

What is our response when we are offered a new life? Doubt? Fear? Apprehension? Are we brave enough to “burn the bridges” to our past life, and start anew? 

Elisha makes a significant choice to follow Elijah. He ties up this past life by providing a feast for those he is leaving behind. By burning his equipment (the plow), he minimizes the possibility of returning to his past life. 

I remember choosing to take classes to become endorsed in new areas of education. I was excited to try new things, but I held onto the tools and materials from my past positions, just in case things didn’t work out as planned. I provided a safety net for myself. In our earthly understanding, this is considered a smart move.

The difficulty in having a safety net is commitment. Can we fully commit to our new life when we are ready to go back to our old life when things become difficult? To fully commit our lives and follow Jesus is a radical move in the eyes of many. They ask, “What will you gain by choosing this new direction?” Wealth? Power? Esteem? 

Within the scope of earthly standards of achievement, following Christ is pure folly. To fully accept Christ is to risk losing those material things you have acquired.  Jesus calls us to surrender our will and desires, and to reorder our priorities as we relinquish our quest for material wealth and focus on spiritual riches. 

Jesus calls us to let go of sinful habits and embrace a new life in Christ.  Following Jesus is not a one-time event but a continuous process of growth, surrender, and transformation. It involves a conscious effort to align one's life with God's will and to embrace the challenges and blessings that come with discipleship. 

Giving Lord, you bless us abundantly! Help us let go of the things that glitter, and focus on serving others. Thank you. We love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

Thought for the day: What do we need to give up to fully commit to God?

Take a risk! Walk with Jesus! God is our safety net! Pastor Liz