Persistence

2 Kings 1-2

            Persistence is a common theme between these two chapters.  On the one hand, you have the persistence of Ahaziah who continued in the idolatry of his father Ahab, who persisted in arrogance about his own power, and who sent soldiers repeatedly to their death to capture Elijah.  (Notice that it’s only the good sense and humility of the third captain that delivers his men from the fate of the previous 100.)  On the other hand, you have the persistence of Elisha who doggedly follows Elijah.  Twice the sons of the prophets warn him that Elijah will be taken; three times Elijah tells him to stop following.  But he keeps following.  And he follows him as a servant.  I remember being a teen reading these stories and thinking how arrogant Elisha was to ask for twice as much of the Spirit as Elijah had had.  It turns out that’s not what he’s asking at all.  In asking for a double portion, he’s not asking for twice as much as Elijah ever had; he’s asking for the firstborn’s portion—two shares of the estate instead of one.  It’s a fairly humble request.

            Perseverance is prominent among us, too, although I daresay we can see both sides of the coin in our lives.  Sometimes we continue in our sin.  Whether that is willfulness or weakness depends on the situation.  Sometimes we know what we shouldn’t do, but it’s too much work to change.  Other times we just keep on slipping into bad behavior.  Either way, we can see a little of ourselves in Ahaziah.

            On the other hand, perseverance is an important Christian virtue.  When Jesus calls us, He simply says, “Follow Me!”  He doesn’t promise easy paths or quick solutions.  Consider last week’s Gospel reading (Luke 9), in which He warns that following Him means surrendering comfort and familiarity.  Still, Christians doggedly follow, and we do so in the confidence that we have been declared heirs, that we will inherit the world.  (Here’s an interesting thing:  the inheritance we receive is not like earthly inheritances.  In earthly inheritances, each heir gets a portion.  In the reign of God, each of us receives the entire world.  The difference is that when the reign of God is fully revealed and sin is removed, the sinful desire to amass and accumulate for ourselves will also be removed.)  We follow not in the hope that we will see our Master taken up but rather that we will see our Master come down in glory.