The Fire of God — 2016.04.10
How long you will waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal is god, follow him! … The god who answers with fire, He is the true God!
1 Kings 18: 21.24
Long time the Israelites staggered back and forth. They offered the obligatory sacrifices and attended the religious services, however in the evening they worshiped stars and pagan gods. This kind of strange and exotic cult about other gods was thrilling them.
Longtime God had patience. But now Elia should demonstrate who really is the only God and Lord. The Baal priests put pieces of a bull on the wood but not set fire to it. God should answer with fire. The prophets of Baal prayed, sang, danced and scratched their skins without any result. Elia mocked them: Is your god sleeping? Shout louder, awake him! Then he prepared his sacrifice for God and poured even water on the bull pieces and the wood so that everything was flooded with water. Then he prayed briefly: Lord, they should know that only you are God and that they confess Your Name again! And the God of heaven and earth answered with fire: It fell from heaven on the altar and burned up the sacrifice, the wet wood, the altar, the water and even the stones. A huge fire! The matter was now clear: Only the Lord, He is God! All ungodly and anti divine things were thrown away.
Today other gods are worshiped: Money, sex, power, prosperity, luxury, games, and sport… What these gods are offering? Can money console if you are lonely? Can sex heal when you are ill? Is prosperity helping when you have to die? Only Jesus, our Saviour, helps. He asks us to trust Him more. Our relationship with Him should increase. Other gods are totally to be rejected. He does not want any longer, that we waver between 2 opinions! He is the God who answers with fire, proves Himself, does miracles and loves His children.
Jesus, I trust You totally. I will not follow other gods and waste my time and energy with them. No, only You are my God, for You alone I live as You are a wonderful Saviour, Comforter, Helper, and Friend.
Bible reading today – Galatians 3: 1-18