I have always been a supporter of the “underdog.” If one football team is favored tremendously over another, I usually choose the unfavored one and give them a ridiculous score for victory. I choose people in races with injuries; gymnast who have overcome tragedies; the kids with severe discipline problems; I like to get behind those who have flaws, but have the will to overcome them. Funny, if you will allow the comparison, God does too – a young boy against a giant; a baby in a manger; a female against an army of men. I cannot profess to know the reasons behind God’s choices but I would imagine it had to do with the outcome. How much more glory comes when he takes a boy, sold into slavery by his brothers, and makes him 2nd in command over all of Egypt. He didn’t choose a lawyer or business man with an MBA. He chose a slave and prisoner. Now that is some God!
There is a story in 1 Kings about Elijah the prophet. He is up against 400+ prophets of the god Baal. Two fire pits are built and two calves slaughtered. The idea is to see whose god can light the altar with a blaze of fire. Elijah lets the prophets of Baal go first. They dance and sing, chant, shake their tambourines. Elijah shouts out to them, “Maybe you should shout louder. Your god might be in the bathroom!” The prophets shout louder, roll on the ground, stomp their feet, and smash themselves with swords, spilling their blood on the ground around the altar they’ve built. Elijah recommends, “Shout louder! Maybe it’s a holiday for your god.” All day, into the evening, and no response from the god of Baal. Finally Elijah says, “OK guys. My turn.”
Elijah is so confident in his God that he taunts them. “Go get water and douse my wood. Build a trench around my altar and fill it with water. More water! More water!” The prophets of Baal add water, add water, add water. Elijah encourages them, “Bring More!”
1 King 18:36 ” At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” ”
No dancing and singing. No cutting of the wrist or rolling on the ground. No chanting or sweating.
38Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—He is God! The LORD—He is God!”
There comes a time in our lives when we have to look Satan in the eye and say, “BRING IT ON!”
Fear is a crippling emotion. It causes doubt. It makes us weak, anxious, and unable to think clearly. Fear is NOT of God or He wouldn’t spend so many verses of the Bible telling us “Not to Fear!”
I do not know what you are facing in life, but I do know this, GOD IS THERE. He will answer you, but your faith is the key.
Be encouraged children of God. We serve a mighty King. Stand up for Him today and He will come to your assistance in a mighty way.
