Elisha, Tarry Here, I Pray Thee.
The sermon emphasizes the importance of perseverance, consecration, and devotion in the Christian life, and the rewards that come from successfully standing the test.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes the importance of perseverance and the refusal to settle for less than God's best in the sermon 'Elisha, Tarry Here, I Pray Thee.' He highlights how the repeated call to 'tarry here' serves as a test of our commitment to consecration, prayer, and becoming more Christ-like. Meyer warns against the voices that urge us to pause in our spiritual journey, reminding us that true growth requires continual advancement and a willingness to sacrifice. The sermon encourages believers to actively choose to pursue a deeper relationship with God, just as Elisha did with Elijah, in order to receive the fullness of the Spirit. Ultimately, it is a call to reject complacency and strive for the higher calling in Christ.
Text
Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee. 2 Kings ii. 2, 4, 6.
THRICE Elijah spoke thus to his friend and disciple, to test him. Perseverance, tenacity of purpose, a refusal to be content with anything short of the best, are indispensable conditions for the attainment of the highest possibilities of experience and service. And perpetually in our life's discipline these words come back on us, Tarry here! Not that God desires us to tarry, but because He desires each onward step to be the choice and act of our own will.
Tarry here in Consecration. ‑‑ "You have given so much; is it not time that you refrained from further sacrifices? Ungird your loins, sit down and rest, forbear from this strenuous following after. Spare thyself; this shall not come to thee."
Tarry here in the Life of Prayer. ‑‑ "It is waste time to spend so much time at the footstool of God. You have done more than most, desist from further intercession and supplication."
Tarry here in the attainment of the likeness of Christ. ‑‑ "It will cost you so much, if all that is not Christ‑like is to pass away from your life."
Such voices are perpetually speaking to us all. And if we heed them, we are at once shut out of that crossing the Jordan, that rapturous intercourse with heaven, that reception of the double portion of the Spirit, which await those who have successfully stood the test. The law of the Christian life is always Advance; always leaving that which is behind; always reckoning that you have not attained; always following on to know the Lord, growing in grace and in the knowledge of the blessed Saviour, and saying to the Spirit of God, as Elisha to Elijah, I will not leave thee.
Sermon Outline
- The Call to Tarry
- The Voice of Consecration
- The Voice of Prayer
- The Voice of Christlikeness
- The Cost of Transformation
- The Reward of Maturity
Key Quotes
“Not that God desires us to tarry, but because He desires each onward step to be the choice and act of our own will.” — F.B. Meyer
“It will cost you so much, if all that is not Christ-like is to pass away from your life.” — F.B. Meyer
“I will not leave thee.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We must be willing to persevere and remain steadfast in our commitment to God, refusing to be content with anything less than the best.
- Our choices and actions should be guided by a desire to follow God's will, rather than external prompts.
- We must be willing to pay the cost of transformation and growth in our spiritual lives.