Devotional on 1 Kings

2015 – Mammoth Cave, KY

The God who answers with fire
1Kings 18: The god who answers with fire will prove to be, in fact, God.
Elijah proposes a sort of contest between Baal and Jehovah. An animal sacrifice will be prepared and laid out. Only one thing will be missing: the fire. Baal’s prophets will call out for their god to send fire, and then Elijah, God’s man, will call out to his God for fire. Whichever one sends fire will be the One they’ll worship. The people agree to the proposal, calling it “a good plan” and the contest begins. I think it is, indeed, “a good plan.” Why serve a god that can’t answer? If Jehovah God can act, if he can move in this world and in our lives, it makes perfect sense to serve him. That’s one side of the story. The other is a reminder that we have no authority to set up hoops and demand that God jump through them if he wants us to serve him. Not only has he already answered with fire in this story, but also he continues to work in this world every day. The very fact that the sun came up this morning is proof that he is God. Frankly, the fact that you’re reading this right now, even as you’ve had questions about the reality of God is evidence that he’s real and that he’s reaching out to you. Tell you what, if you’ll respond to this offer of fellowship from the Lord, you’ll experience something a lot more impressive than fire falling from heaven as God moves on your heart and life. And, it can happen this very hour!
Take Away: When you reach out to the Lord in faith he’ll move in ways in your life just as convincing as fire falling from heaven.

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