SCRIPTURE
"Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.'" (1 Kings 18:21)
OBSERVATION
Sometimes it's hard for Josiah to make a decision. "Do you want peanut butter or ham for lunch?" This question is oftentimes met with an indecisive look and a 3 year old's "Hmm?" After a while of indecisiveness we have to press him for an answer, "What will it be?"
In this passage Elijah challenged King Ahab to gather prophets who were serving the pagan god Baal. They were to meet him at Mount Carmel for a little challenge. If fire came down from heaven and consumed their offering, this would mean that Baal was a true god. However, if fire consumed Elijah's offering, that meant that God was the true God. (By the way, fire did fall on Elijah's offering.)
Elijah was pressing the people to make a choice. Decide who you are going to serve. Indecisiveness about who we worship is like limping through life. We drag our feet because we want the best of both worlds. Not fully committed to God but wanting to do the things we want to do. However, if we confess "Jesus is Lord," that means he claims allegiance and control over every area of our lives. There comes a point when we need to decide...who are we going to serve?
APPLICATION
I can limp through life spiritually by not fully committing to God. I want my way, to fulfill my desires, and can give all kinds of excuses why I can't commit, not at this time, perhaps when it's more convenient. I just need to jump in with both feet. If I believe that God is really who he says he is, he deserves my total allegiance. I'm not doing him any favors by pretending to love him, yet at the same time entertaining the gods of this world. Either he is my Lord or he isn't. He won't settle for anything less than 100%. Wavering causes spiritual paralysis that cripples my walk with God.
PRAYER
Lord, I don't want to limp through life but I commit to you as my God.
