"A Time to Uproot" Ecclesiastes 3:2

I soak in every word he preaches.  And most often, it seems that Mark is sharing a message that applies to the two of us or to our family, and everyone else in the church is there to listen in on the conversation.  When he preached on the call of Elisha, I wondered about our own call to the foreign mission field.  Like Elisha's call, a move to the field requires burning ties to the past. 

[Elisha] 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. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" 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 attendant. From the NIV; I Kings 19:19-21

I want to be like Elisha. I can't look back like Lot's wife or hesitate like the rich young ruler.  I don't want a longing for possessions or relationships to keep me from faithfully serving by Mark's side.

If I am to remain committed to the call we have received, without becoming bitter about what I'm leaving behind, I will need to burn a plow or two and give away a lot of "meat."  Mark and I feel the weight of the cloak, a letter from the FMC asking us to serve, and so we resolutely detach ourselves from our work here to follow the Lord to Uruguay.  The process is painful and revealing.  Have the conveniences of central heat/air, a propane grill, bikes, and charter school materials made us rely more on ourselves than on God?  Our children are graciously giving away their own treasured possessions, a husky dog family, wooden train set, dolls.  Much harder for all of us, however, is is the "goodbye" part.

So we plead for the Holy Spirit's power to forget what is behind, and strain toward what is ahead (Phil 3:13).  A double portion, please, Lord.