Elijah's Victory
If the Lord is God, follow Him.
1 Kings 18:21.
Today's Bible Reading: 1 Kings 18:25-39.
Elijah was a tough prophet! God called him to the task of turning an apostate nation back to God -- with the king seeking to kill him. Perhaps the most spectacular event in Elijah's long ministry takes place on Mount Carmel, where he has challenged king Ahab to a contest between Yahweh and Baal. He watches while the 450 prophets of Baal dance and prayed for hours, but see no fire from their god to ignite their sacrifice. But when the fire falls on Yahweh's altar, it utterly consumes the sacrifice (v 38). The people fall on their faces and shout, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"(v39).
Elijah "repairs the altar of Yahweh," he rebuilds the knowledge and worship of the Lord throughout the land, and turns the hearts of God's people away from Baal and towards the true God of their fathers.
It’s hard to imagine your task or mission field being more challenging than Elijah’s. Perhaps God has placed you in a resistant community or a cold, lifeless church in desperate need of a fresh encounter with the glory of the Living God. From Elijah, we can learn what it means to be God’s servant in the unique situation He has placed us. We can discover how to overcome deep discouragement and make a meaningful difference right where we are.
Prayer
God of all ages, help me to stand firm for You in the face of opposition. Help to share the Gospel message with those around me. Help me to shine for Jesus in this dark world. In His wonderful name, I pray. Amen.
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