“And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
Faith Like Elijah Part 1
Walk His Way Revisted
The old woman in the mirror (who is much older than me) asked me, “Are you pleasing God? Do you earnestly seek Him?” So I looked up the word earnestly. It means diligently, fervently, eagerly, and intently. Avoiding the stare of the old woman in the mirror, I knew what she was thinking. “Do you seek the Lord with fervor and diligence?”
Since I was a child, I loved the stories of Elijah. I wanted to have faith like Elijah. He knew God, and had total faith and trust that God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.
After three years of drought and famine, God’s Word came to Elijah (1 Kings 18:20-40). God said He would send rain on the land. Elijah told King Ahab to summon all of Israel to meet him at Mt. Carmel, with 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah (who ate at the table of Ahab’s wife, Jezebel). An altar was built for the prophets of Baal, and Elijah rebuilt the altar of God that had been destroyed. Elijah told the prophets of Baal to prepare their bull on the wood, but do not light a fire. They were to call down fire from their gods. For many hours they pleaded with Baal, but nothing happened. Elijah taunted them and they shouted louder (in case their god was sleeping). None of those evil prophets could summon fire.
Finally, Elijah, having prepared his bull on the wood, dug a huge trench around the altar. He told them to fill four large jars with water, and pour it on the offering and the wood. After dousing the sacrifice three times, flooding the trench around the altar, Elijah stepped forward and asked God to answer him so these people “will know that YOU LORD, are God, and that YOU are turning their hearts back again.” God might have said something like, “No problem, you have done what I told you to do, and I will do as I said I would.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and soil, and licked up all the water in the trench. The people fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
Wow, now that is answered prayer with flare! (Yes, pun intended). But wait… there’s more!! The story will continue on the faith of Elijah in Part 2 tomorrow.
Oh Lord, for the faith of Elijah. This account of Elijah and how You worked through a surrendered servant makes me cry out to You, “Stir up the faith You have placed in me so that I will be a surrendered servant earnestly seeking You, listening always for Your voice.