Elijah... the Prophet..

Lets talk about heroes of the bible....

yea.. we all know that Jesus Christ would be everyone's first pick for a dodgeball team, but lets say He's gonna play referee... if you had to choose your favorite personality from the bible, who would it be?

I would have to say Elijah... most would think Elisha, because of the whole “go up you bald head” incident, but i'm sticking to my first round pick..

The life and works of Elijah are so.. awesome.. the power that God showed through him, I guess that's why people like Pastor Albert Kang are so involved with Elijah Challenge Ministries... but i'm done name dropping for now..

I've been paying attention to a sermon series about seeking first the Kingdom of God.. it's based on Jesus Christ speaking of the birds and the flowers.. and not worrying about what we will eat tomorrow.. good theory statements.. He's giving instruction, letting us know that when we put God first, He will sustain and provide for us. I have seen this happening in my life, and I look back to see when it was happening with Elijah..

First, lets take a look at 1 Kings 17... so much good stuff... He predicts a drought, and then goes and stays by a brook... when the brook dries up.. ok.. no water now.. he goes into the village and sees a widow woman gathering sticks.. she says she's going to make some bread for her and her son, and then they will die... all they have is enough for one meal, and then they starve... but Elijah tells her to take a bit of what she has.. make him a snack.. and she'll be good...

does the woman really go about doing this so quickly? Or does she sit here and question why this lunatic wants to take some of HER food that she doesn't even have enough to live on... nonetheless, she follows his instruction, makes the food.. and her and her son never run out of flower and oil.....

she put God first..

Then when the showdown happens.. and Elijah challenges the prophets of baal to pray and cause fire to their sacrifice.. some more of this awesome heroics takes place.. It's now Elijah's turn to pray for fire.. so.. you figure he'd get the best, driest, most flammable .. (maybe a bit of gasoline).. so that when he prays.. the thing lights up like a rocket... instead.. he takes 12 jars of water.... remember.. this is WATER... the brook dried up.. it's been 7 years of drought... they don't have culligan man here... but he takes TWELVE jars of water... and pours it over the wood of the sacrifice... not only will this thing not burn... but these people are now 12 jars short of the only hydration in the nation...

yet.. he does it... and he prays....

and just when everything seems hopeless...

and impossible...

and we're about to fall over and die..

God sends the fire... and consumes our sacrifice.. consumes our lives.. as we are the living sacrifice..

and yea.. Elijah even had a moment of discouragement... but God spoke... not in the mountain.. or in the wind... but in the still small voice...

and He's speaking to everyone reading this … saying...

“Trust in Me.”