growing in the process.

Monday February 16^th, 2 Kings 2:   11 Elijah and Elisha were walking along and talking, when suddenly there appeared between them a flaming chariot pulled by fiery horses. Right away, a strong wind took Elijah up into heaven. 12 Elisha saw this and shouted, "Israel's cavalry and chariots have taken my master away!"  After Elijah had gone, Elisha tore his clothes in sorrow. Change, especially when viewed with an element of loss, can, and often does bring about sorry as well as fear.  Elisha would miss his old friend and mentor Elijah.  Elisha would have been content to follow and never really become the Elisha God had in mind.  Elisha’s journey and calling would now begin and God would open before him vistas and ministries beyond his imagination.  Sometimes it is when we are cut loose, even from good things, that we begin to get our footing on what God has called us to do.  Sometimes loss can also be gain and a ministry ended is just the beginning of a new ministry begun.  I think that perhaps for the health of the church it would be best if we passed the torch rather than just having it pried from our cold dead hands.  The church would be blessed with a melding of the wisdom of the ages and the enthusiasm of youth, and perhaps even growing in the process.