June 11 - 1 Kings 17:8-20:22

Good morning everyone,

Oh my word! This is exciting reading today! So much to glean from and today is one of those days you totally have to be using your mind’s eye, so I encourage you to get there. We pick up in our story with Elijah who has just showed up at wicked king Ahab’s palace and told him that there would be no rain on the land for three years. You can see how this news would not be met favorably so, upon the Lord’s instruction Elijah takes off to hide beside the Kerith Brook, God tells him to stay put and eat what the ravens bring him. What?! That’s right! Can you imagine having your food flown in every day? I love God’s creativity in taking care of us. We get so locked into “what should be” that we deprive ourselves of “what can be.” God is so good. But it gets better. 

The brook runs dry and God tells Elijah to go to town and find the widow who has been instructed to feed him. When he gets there he sees her out in the yard and indeed  asks for a drink of water, as she turns to get it he says, “can you bring a slice of bread with that too?” Hmmm, she stops in her tracks and slowly turns around and kindly informs him that she is using the last of her supplies to prepare a meal for herself and her son, then they will die. Elijah looks at her and says, (I love this) “Okay, but first make a small loaf for me” and then informs her that the Lord will not let her flour or oil run dry until the rains come back. Right?! Who would not get up every morning and first thing look at the flour bin to see that it is filled back up? I would! Just like us, we are anew every morning. By the blood of the Lamb, our mercies are new every morning. Laminations 3:22-23 says “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Thank you Jesus!

We’re told some time later the woman’s boy takes ill, dies and Elijah after stretching out over the boy three times while praying to God the Father, Yahweh, is able to bring him back to life. Fun face; This is the first person in the Bible to be brought back to life and it is worth noting the child, most commentators agree, is a gentile not jew. 

Now, in the third year Elijah heads back to the Ahab’s palace where on the road he meets up with Obadiah, a godly man who also happens to be in charge of king Ahab’s palace. Elijah tells Obadiah, “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’” After freaking out a bit he does what Elijah asked and when Ahab gets to Elijah he says, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” Then, and I love how bold Elijah is, he says, “Dude, this is not my bad, you are the one who has totally gone against the Lord’s commands.” (okay maybe that’s a paraphrase) You will remember back in Deuteronomy 11 God warned that if they turned away and worshiped other gods then the Lord would shut up the heavens. 

Then, and I would not suggest you doing this unless God calls you to, Elijah sets up a contest of sorts to see whose God will provide. Team Ahab consisting of four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah calling on their god vs. Elijah calling on THE God. Let the games begin. (mind’s eye on?) First up, team Ahab. They’ve prepared their bull, put it upon the alter and begin calling on their god. No answer. “Baal answer us!” they said. Still no response. Elijah is probably rolling on the ground in laughter as he is taunting them with, “Shout louder, shout louder!” They are wildly jumping on the alter, slashing themselves until their blood flowed and still … no answer. Next up, team Elijah. He builds his alter using twelve stones. Note please, not ten and two, but twelve, a united Israel. He gets his bull in place, and has the alter doused in water three times, twelve barrels, coincidence? Then, stand back boys, Elijah stepped forward and prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. BOOM! The fire of the Lord fell and consumed everything including the water in the trench. We’re told, When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” And indeed he is!

The story goes on to tell of how Ahab’s prophets were killed, Jezebel, less than happy about this, threatens Elijah and he takes off again. What caught my attention though is, before the event, Elijah had asked them, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” They were on a fence, what ever god or God they felt they needed at the time is the one they were praying to, spending the most time with. Oh how too familiar that sounds for our society today who wants to do all that “they” want to do in the “fun” world, any ole time they want to do it, only calling on Yahweh, Abba Father in desperate times; and then, then … some even saying things like, “How can a caring God do that?” I ponder, “do what?” What He says He’ll do?” Again looking at Deuteronomy, it’s all laid out for us; all we have to do is love the Lord our God and keep all his requirements, his decrees his laws and his commands always and He will bless us abundantly. He does not bless us begrudgingly and there is a kind of eagerness a hopefulness in wanting to bless us. Oh how He loves us. Exodus 34:6 says, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love”. 

Will you come off the fence today? Will you put aside the gods of the world and give the time and energy to God the Father, to Jesus? He’s waiting for you. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” He’s there waiting. Open up your heart and let the Son shine in. Amen?

Have a good day you guys and to God be the glory!

God bless you all …