2018 Weekly Devotional - Week 47
Week 47
I Kings 18:20-21
“So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”
Darla and I were visiting Scotland and had taken the advice of our car rental agent to visit a place in the beautiful Scottish Highlands called Bruar Falls. To get to the falls we hiked up a trail in a cold mist enjoying the incredible views as we hiked. We arrived at the top and were enjoying the spectacular scenes while taking many photos. As we began the descent back to our car we struck up a conversation with a young Scottish family enjoying a school holiday. They were there with their seven-year-old daughter who, like most seven-year-old children had a lot of energy and was very inquisitive. We talked about her school, how she recently had a birthday, what her favorite cake was, where we were from, etc. I was a few steps ahead of the group as we continued down the trail when the couple’s little girl hopped alongside me and asked a question that stopped me in my tracks. Like most kids, she was unaware that modern culture frowns at conversations regarding one’s religion, after all that is a ‘private’ matter and was not to be mentioned in polite company. Her straight forward question was; “What God do you worship in America?” I stopped, looked at her and said, “I worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus is my Savior.” Her mother spoke up and said, “Honey, that is just what we believe!” The little girl had been studying world religions at school and took the opportunity to do some independent research! Such a poignant question from a child. One that deserves an honest, accurate answer.
Our text is from the story of Elijah and his confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Elijah asks a straight forward question in which he confronts the people with an either/or choice. They cannot waver between two opinions. Either the LORD is God, OR Baal is God. The choice is exclusive. What follows is the magnificent scene in which Baal is shown to be silent and impotent while the LORD God answers his prophet with a fire from heaven that consumes the water-soaked sacrifice, altar, and the water from a trench that surrounded the altar. There was no doubt that the LORD alone was God.
I love the fact that this little girl had no hesitation about asking what God we serve. We need such boldness today. We will talk about almost anything in our culture but that which matters most. My answer to this precious little girl’s question was not accurate. I told her what God I worshipped. However, the god most of America worships is not unlike Baal of ancient times. The god America worships is a fertility cult of power, prosperity, and prestige. And like Baal of old, the god America worships is silent when confronted with life’s most important questions and impotent to help with our deepest needs. How long indeed will we as a people go limping between opinions! The LORD God has given the final answer in Jesus Christ. All other supposed gods are silent. How would you have answered a precocious child that day?
In Christ,
John