蓓如為她的曾孫編織了一件毛衣，但還沒織完就過世了。後來，這件毛衣被交給另一位熱愛編織的人來完成，這要感謝一個組織幫忙聯繫編織志工──「完成者」，讓他們協助完成那些離世的親人尚未完工的工藝品。「完成者」以愛心投注他們的時間與技能，接續完成那些離世親人留下的半成品，為那些哀傷的人帶來安慰。

上帝也為先知以利亞指定一位「完成者」。那時，以色列人違背了與上帝所立的約，並殺害事奉上帝的眾先知，使以利亞深感孤單與挫敗。上帝便對他說：「膏⋯⋯以利沙作先知接續你」（列王紀上19章16節）。這確保了傳講上帝真理的工作，會在以利亞過世後仍長久地延續下去。

為了要讓以利沙明白，上帝已選召他接續以利亞作上帝的先知，以利亞就「將自己的外衣搭在他身上」（19節）。由於先知的外袍代表蒙上帝揀選為代言人的權威（見列王紀下2章8節），所以此舉清楚表明了以利沙已蒙召成為先知。

身為基督徒，我們的任務是要與人分享上帝的愛，並且宣揚上帝的美德（彼得前書2章9節）。或許我們在有生之年無法完成這項任務，但我們可以確信，上帝將持續這項事工，繼續呼召其他「完成者」承擔起向人宣揚上帝的神聖使命。

Barbara passed away before she could finish a sweater she was knitting for her great-grandson, Ethan. The sweater was entrusted to the hands of another avid knitter to be completed thanks to an organization that connects volunteer crafters—“finishers”—with those whose loved ones have departed this life before finishing their projects. The “finishers” lovingly invest their time and skill to bring closure to a task that provides comfort to those who are grieving.

God appointed a “finisher” for Elijah’s work too. The prophet was lonely and discouraged at how the Israelites were rejecting God’s covenant and killing prophets. In response, God instructed Elijah to “anoint Elisha . . . to succeed [him] as prophet” (1 Kings 19:16). This ensured that the labor of proclaiming God’s truth would continue long past Elijah’s death.

To show Elisha that God had called him to succeed Elijah as God’s prophet, Elijah “threw his cloak around [Elisha]” (v. 19). Since a prophet’s cloak was used to indicate one’s authority as God’s chosen spokesman (see 2 Kings 2:8), this act made Elisha’s prophetic call clear.

As believers in Jesus, we’ve been called to share God’s love with others and “declare [his] praises” (1 Peter 2:9). Though the task may outlive us too, we can be assured that He’ll sustain the work and will continue to call other “finishers” to the sacred work of making Him known.