Friday, June 17, 2011

The Call to Follow

"One Year Bible" Old Testament History Passage
I Kings 18:1-46

"Then Elijah came to all the people, and said, 'How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' But the people answered him not a word." I Kings 18:21 (NKJV)

Elijah is one of the most dynamic figures in the Bible. He lived and ministered during an extremely difficult era. The grand vision of a holy people was nowhere in sight. Israel and Judah had divided, ungodly practices abounded, and the worship of God was rare.

With power and authority, Elijah spoke into his world and he speaks to us today, too. Israel was a mixture. They worshipped many "gods". They still worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they had added a few other gods too - most notably Baal.

Elijah speaks to the Church of our day. This is not just a call to believe, or to agree. It is a call to FOLLOW. Christianity is not just an ingredient in a good life. Jesus is not just our example. HE IS OUR LIFE. If we believe He is who He says He is, then FOLLOW HIM!

From time to time, we need a wake-up call. We far too easily drift into compromise. The prophet calls us to return to single-minded devotion. This is an important message for our day.

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