"Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
Elijah believed that Yahweh lived and was alive and real. Elijah was very angered at what was happening. Ahab had left his faith in the Lord. He felt Baal and Asherah were stronger. He had listened to his wife. He put up several idols to Baal and agreed the prophets of God should be put to death.
In our day of superior knowledge and scientific age, belief in God is seen as something of the past. Increasingly there are debates over evolution and creationism. Yet, serious scientists have found no plausible explanation for many scientific phenomena without an intelligent designer.
We also know religion can be practiced with programs and performance without any heartfelt involvement.
Elijah was willing to prove God’s existence by means of a miraculous contest. Although people believed in spiritual forces, Elijah had a personal relationship with God Almighty. Today we need people who will show God is alive by their own lives changed by the Lord.
The first step for a Christian is to acknowledge that Jesus Christ lived a real life. He died a real death. At His crucifixion there were real spikes and wood, a real sword and thorns, real death and burial, but that is not all or we would be worshiping a dead God. We worship One who rose from the grave and is living today. “I am he that lives. I was dead and behold am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Rev 1:18)
This world is full of dead gods and idols. Most of the people of this world are still pagan and practice idol worship. In Japan they worship ancestors and build shrines to them. Buddhists have the idol of Buddha. Hindus have prayer temples for various gods with grotesque figures. In talking to missionaries in South America and in Mexico, when someone dies, people will come with all kinds of gifts, trinkets, and statues to make that place a place of worship, prayer, and superstitious syncretism that combines Christianity and Catholicism with pagan idolatry.
Beware of idols which take the place of honoring God. Romans 1 warns us about worshipping the creation instead of the Creator. Since man himself is a created being, it applies that too often we worship people - Taylor Swift, Tom Brady, movie stars, or even politically powerful people who capture people’s commitment, money, devotion and love.
Application: Is God alive for you? Have you placed your confidence in Him who is alive within your own soul through His Holy Spirit? Have you the complete awareness that God is active and alive in our world?
Pryaer: Lord, enlighten the eyes of those who are blinded by the gods of this world and fleshly desires. Let us all see that a full life can only be found in You
