If It’s Alive, It Has to Respond!
In the book of 1 Kings there is a story that displays not only the power of God, but the faith of a man in the power of God. That story is in 1 Kings 18. Elijah had assembled the people of Israel together for an all out battle at OK Corralle (better known as Mount Carmel). The Israelites had turned to other gods and were worshipping them instead of the One True God that they were commissioned to follow.The people were ordered to build an altar and place sticks of wood on it and pile it high. Elijah told them that the God that answers by fire should be the God they worshipped.
All morning they hollered out to their gods:
28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.In the1 Kings 18:28-29 (NLT
In 1 Kings 18:28-29 we see that after all day, into the time of the evening sacrifice, there was no response from the gods they petitioned. Then the people watched as Elijah replenished the broken down altar and even poured water on it:
30 Then Elijah called to the people, "Come over here!" They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,[c] 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons.[d] 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.[e]
Then he said, "Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.
34 After they had done this, he said, "Do the same thing again!" And when they were finished, he said, "Now do it a third time!" So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench. 1 Kings 18:3-34 (NLT)
After three times drenching the altar with water, God responded, not only destroying all the alar but also licking up all the water. Nothing remained.
This story is a reminded that if we are alive in God, we have to make a response. We cannot go through life as if there was not the Creator of all the Universe living inside of us. The question is not "if" we are going to respond, but "how" are we going to respond..
Recent events in our nation necessitate a response. Everyone is not the same, does not carry the same tonal quality – some may sing, some may shout, some may exhort or teach, some may pray – somer may march – some may fight in the courts.
The only thing about a united people that is the same, is that there will be a response of some kind.
Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith.Colossians 4:6
Maria