Well, I have now been in Gyeongju for a grand total of approximately 3 days. For better or for worse, I am here to stay for an entire year. They warned us over and over again in orientation to not let the semester slip away from us. If there were things we wanted to do, goals we wanted to accomplish during our time in Korea, we needed to start on them early. If we put them off, waiting to get completely settled before we start branching out, we would never start. Before we knew it, it would be Christmas break, and then after that we would only have a few more months until we went home.
So today I have been trying to take my orientation coordinators' advice, looking for places in and around Gyeongju to do the things that I want to do. And it brought me back to 1 Kings, where I was yesterday. When Elijah called Elisha, in 1 Kings 19, Elisha asks to first say goodbye to his family first. He wants to settle in, in a matter of speaking. And Elijah lets him go.
But there is a parallel story in Luke 9, when Jesus calls His disciples. Except this time, He does not let them go back and say goodbye. God does not wait for us. He wants our all, or none at all. So I ask myself - am I as willing to throw myself into my life with God as I am with my life in Gyeongju? Are you?
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
So today I have been trying to take my orientation coordinators' advice, looking for places in and around Gyeongju to do the things that I want to do. And it brought me back to 1 Kings, where I was yesterday. When Elijah called Elisha, in 1 Kings 19, Elisha asks to first say goodbye to his family first. He wants to settle in, in a matter of speaking. And Elijah lets him go.
But there is a parallel story in Luke 9, when Jesus calls His disciples. Except this time, He does not let them go back and say goodbye. God does not wait for us. He wants our all, or none at all. So I ask myself - am I as willing to throw myself into my life with God as I am with my life in Gyeongju? Are you?
1 Kings 19:19-21
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
Luke 9:61-62
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
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