Get Ready

The prophet Elisha gave a risky assignment to a young prophet, telling him, “Get ready to travel and take this flask of olive oil with you. Go to Ramoth-Gilead, and find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. Call him into a private room away from his friends and pour the oil over his head. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you to be the king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run for your life!” (II Kings 9: 1-3, 10).

The anointing would supplant Joram as king and install Jehu. As the new king, Jehu was told to destroy Ahab and Jezebel’s family and their followers who had led Israel into the debasing, detestable worship of false gods. After delivering this warning and knowing he had just put his life at risk, the young prophet opened the door and ran.

The prophecy would eventually come to pass. When Jehu became king and followed the Lord’s instruction, that unnamed young prophet would be remembered as the one who had the courage to deliver a difficult and life-threatening word. 

Our generation is also facing difficult and even life-threatening assaults. In the early 70’s, during the reign of terror, atrocities, and murder in Uganda under Adi Amin, a leader of the church spoke these words: “It is because of the Resurrection that we are free. We are not slaves to this life or to our fear of death. We are slaves to Jesus Christ and He has risen from the grave” (“A Distant Grief” by Kefa Sempangi).

Courage, obedience, and standing for what is right and good may cost us relationships, financial gain, or even our lives. The cost we experience comes from the works of darkness pushing back against light and truth. But we are no longer enslaved to death and destruction and damnation. The cost doesn’t compare to the freedom given through the power of the Resurrection.

We all need to get ready.

Get ready to address injustice with justice. 

Get ready to dispel lies with truth. 

Get ready to deliver those in desperation and despair with resurrection life. 

Just as Israel was delivered, may our families, cities, and nation experience deliverance and a return to the One True God.