O Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your slave and I have done all these things at Your word. 1 Kings 18:36
The nation of Israel has split away from Judah. For over 50 years they have been led by wicked kings, who continue to lead the people into more and more wickedness. Each king is more wicked than the previous. Years earlier God had warned His people, “Beware lest … you turn away and serve other gods and worship them, and the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain…” (Deut. 11:16-17). The nation is now experiencing this judgment as it hasn’t rained in three years.
At that moment in time God sends Elijah to call upon the people to repent and turn back to God. He asks them, “How long will you be limping between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). Unfortunately, the people did not answer him a word. Nevertheless, Elijah presses forward, completely soaking his sacrifice, and then praying the prayer we began with.
God answers in a powerful way and the people fall on their faces and say, “Yahweh, He is God; Yahweh, He is God” (1 Kings 18:39). It is one thing to say those words, it is a completely different thing to actually believe them (see Matthew 7:21).
In a similar way God is calling us to be faithful in doing all He has called us to do. As you carry out your task today, ask the Lord for the strength to do it all for Him, so that it will be clear to those around you that Yahweh truly is God.
Joshua Steiner