I Kings 19:19–21

So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

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Elijah’s casting of the mantle over Elisha prophetically foreshadowed when Elisha would take up his predecessor’s mantle after Elijah was caught up into Heaven. The casting of the mantle symbolized the continuation of the first prophet’s ministry by his successor; this would be confirmed when Elisha struck the water with the mantle just like his predecessor did (II Kings 2:8, 14). Elisha’s decision to slaughter and sacrifice his work animals demonstrated a complete abandonment of his former lifestyle to follow the prophet.

During the 1941–42 Nazi siege of Leningrad, thousands of people died, including scientists Alexander Stchukin and Dmitry Ivanov. Both scientists were employees of the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry where they had worked tirelessly for years to build up a huge collection of genetically modified plants and crop seeds that could endure extreme temperatures and resist pestilence.

Stchukin and Ivanov were tasked with preserving food crops, including nuts, a nutrient-dense food source, for future generations. During the 900-day siege, both men could have saved themselves, but they chose to starve rather than hurt future generations.

Today, generations later, farmers around the world, including the United States, grow crops that were developed from the genetically modified seeds of the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry. Future generations fed themselves what a former generation preserved. It is important for each generation to preserve doctrine, evangelism, and holiness over fame, materialism, and self-centeredness. Our sacrifices today empower future generations to come.

That concludes our devotional for today. Let us finish with a word of prayer. 

WORD OF PRAYER

Lord, inspire us to make sacrifices like Elisha and the guardians of the Vavilov Institute, embracing our callings and preserving Your truth for the generations to come. Grant us the courage to leave behind what is familiar to follow You wholeheartedly. Help us to invest in what lasts, ensuring a legacy of faith and devotion to Your Word.

In the name of Jesus, amen.