January 2021

Time to Speak Up

Message - Time to Speak Up -
I have always loved to read. To me, there is just nothing like curling up with a good book, whether it be on the couch, under an umbrella on the beach, or under the awning of our camper.  And, I am partial to real books, real paper and cover books.  Now, full disclosure, I do have a Kindle, and I use it often, but there is, at least to me, just no substitute for having that real book in your hands and turning the pages!  One of the reasons I love reading so much is you get to make your own picture, your own visualization of what you are reading.  Unlike in a video or movie, where you are only given another person’s interpretation of a scene, you get to create in your own mind; you get to visualize what you think, or how you think a particular scene may look.  With our passage for today from 1st Kings, Chapter 18, reading this passage several times over the last couple of weeks I have created this visual image, this picture in my mind of the scene unfolding in this scripture passage.  I get this picture of Elijah, putting out this challenge to the people, who have become enamored with a different god, putting out this challenge with this smug look on his face, maybe even a smirk, because he knows it is a challenge that he cannot lose; he knows what the outcome will be, how the challenge will eventually turn out.  It is as if Elijah is making a bet, knowing that he is going to win before he even lays any money down!  You know, this reminds me of one of the Back to the Future movies, I believe it was Back to the Future 2, the one that has the book that has the results of all the World Series and all of the Super Bowls in it, and how that book, just somehow, ends up in the silver DeLorean, and makes it back to the past.  The character Biff, of course, is rich in this episode, all because he has been making bets using this book.  A little bit of insider information wouldn’t you think?  He could make bets in confidence, knowing the outcome in advance.  Now I am not, in any way, condoning gambling, but this is the situation that Elijah is in.  He knows the outcome of the challenge before even issuing it!  He is playing with house money, he has the book, there is no way he can lose!  

Now, Elijah obviously had some knowledge of his enemy. This is not a challenge that just popped into Elijah’s head; it was a well thought out, well-prepared challenge. He knew the people were not going to say no to this challenge, because he was not only asking for what their god seemingly does best, which is fire, he was also in their territory. Elijah did not only want to challenge his God, our God, against Baal, their god, he wanted to completely humiliate them in front of everyone in proving the non-existence of their god.

So, as the challenge progresses, I get this image of Elijah, after issuing his challenge, at first patiently waiting as the people begin their futile, hopeless prayers.  Then, I see him standing, maybe with arms crossed, tapping his foot, maybe, if he would have had one, staring at his watch and waiting….  By now the people have begun to beg Baal, please, show us your power, light the flame.  And Elijah, maybe by now, seated at a table, making fun of them, taunting them, and impatiently drumming his fingers or twiddling his thumbs.  You know, if it was in this day and time he would probably pull out his cell phone, check his messages and emails, then begin surfing thru Facebook or Craigslist and continuing to wait…   Finally Elijah has had enough and tells the Baal priests to get out of the way and let me show you how this is done!  He is tired of watching them, first pray, then beg, then scream, then - whatever it takes to try to get their non-existent god to send fire to light the sacrifice.  Yes, Elijah knew, he knew nothing would happen, he already knew what the outcome would be!

But, is that really Elijah’s purpose, to show, that in a challenge or in a contest whose “God” would ultimately win, or to prove that his God is the real God?   In verses 36 and 37 Elijah prayed, “O Lord, 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. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 

Just how awesome is that!  Even though he was in the middle of enemy territory, even though he was surrounded by haters of God, even though he was outnumbered 450 to one, he still prays, not for himself, but for his enemies, for those undeserving of God’s love. He still prayed for the people to believe that his God, the God of Israel, was the only God. That his God was the ultimate God. That his God was the one true God!  Wow!!!

Now, often when reading scripture passages there are a couple of verses that really stick out, that really ‘grab hold of me’ and seem to be speaking to me more loudly than the others.  There were quite a few in this passage but one that really caused me to zoom in was verse 21, when Elijah asks the people a simple question. You know that I often refer to The Message, the version of the Bible translated by Presbyterian minister Eugene Robinson,  and I really like how this verse is translated in The Message—Elijah says “How long are you going to sit on the fence?  Make up your minds!  And how did the people answer—by not saying a word; by not making a move.  By staying silent!  That makes me think of how we often are today…we stay silent when we need to answer God with a resounding “I am not going to sit on the fence, I have made up my mind and I am going to stick with you God and I am going to do what you want me to do!” 

So who or what is our Baal today?  Are we going to be silent, are we going to sit on the fence and not do the things, not be the people that God wants us to be?  What are we doing, who or what are we waiting on?  Are we waiting on a non-existent God, a Baal to lead and direct us?  Are we waiting on a sign from God, a lightning bolt from the heavens?

Each of today’s scripture passages speaks about the power and authority of God.  There is a contemporary Christian song by Matthew West that, I think, really speaks to what I am talking about.  The lyrics in part go like this:  
I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now, thought, 
How'd we ever get so far down, 
and How's it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, "God, why don't You do something?"
Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
And He said, “I did, I created you”

You see God has made great use of his power and authority—he has created us, empowered us to do his work here on earth.  He is asking us not to be silent, not to sit on the fence but to stand up and do something.  There are plenty of issues, many places in today’s world, many issues here in our own communities where we need to be doing something, solving the problems that God wants us to solve, being the difference God wants us to be.  

Yes, God has created us, God has empowered us to not remain silent, not to sit on the fence, not to wait for a contest to show who the winner is.  God is not limited by our human limitations.  God has ultimate power and authority and he can and will provide the power and strength we need to do His will here on earth.  All we have to do is accept what is provided for us and then not stay silent!   Amen!