The Lord God Defeats Baal

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

1 Kings 18:30-39 The Message 

30-35 Then Elijah told the people, “Enough of that—it’s my turn. Gather around.” And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, “From now on your name is Israel.” He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar. He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, “Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood.” Then he said, “Do it again,” and they did it. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched and the trench was filled with water.
36-37 When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, “O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I’m doing what I’m doing under your orders. Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.”
38 Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
39 All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”

For Reflection

What is your modern day Baal? Is your inclination to defeat Baal by force or by some alternate means? 
We suffer the same question that the first century Christian faced. The Christ event made it clear that peace by violent means is not lasting.

One can achieve long-lasting peace only through invoking the Holy Spirit into one's soul and letting the Spirit dominate one's attitudes, beliefs, and values.  We all have the creative capacity to reveal the peacemaking that resides divinely in our souls. We can all show, as Elija had shown, the power of God.  Each day we can demonstrate the power of God in transforming our lives into peacemakers. Those around us will see God at work in our lives. Some will become transformed by the vision.

Pray

Pray that you will embrace the gentle push of the Holy Spirit toward acts of kindness, generosity, humility, forgiveness, and justice and act on it as a God collaborator.

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