I've been reading through the Old Testament during my quiet time and just finished First Kings. This morning, I read about Elijah. Not Elisha, Elijah. I know, I used to get them mixed up too. But now I remember that they are in alphabetical order. ;) So I was reading about Elijah and his encounter with the prophets of Baal on the Mount Carmel...mmm caramel....Anyway, (This is what happens to my brain in quiet time, too. Sometimes I can almost hear the finger snaps of God bringing my attention back to Him and His word.)
As I was saying, Elijah challenged the Baal prophets to call down fire from Baal to burn their sacrifice. The Baal prophets "called on the name of Baal" all morning long with no response...(duh)...Then they jumped up and did a little dance around the alter. Not really sure what that was supposed to do besides make Elijah chuckle a little. Then Elijah told them maybe they needed to be louder because Baal, being a god and all, might be deep in thought, or maybe he was busy, or maybe sleeping. My NLT translation actually said, "Maybe he is relieving himself"....which made me laugh out loud. (Sometimes my quiet time isn't so quiet.) The Baal prophets continued this nonsense until evening.
Finally, Elijah had seen, heard, and mocked enough. It was time for the evening sacrifice and he asked the people who undoubtedly had gathered around watching the spectacle to poor a huge amount of water on his sacrificial alter. I think Elijah might have been so excited to show the crowd what the one and only Living God could do. I'm surprised he waited as long as he did. The pow-wow dance would have ended the Baal show for me. With the alter dripping in water, Elijah said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word." Then fire from heaven came down and not only consumed the sacrifice, but also left the stones as dust and dried up all the water! Wow!
After witnessing this challenge, King Ahab began his chariot ride back home to Jezreel. The very next verse says "Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." I can just picture Elijah watching Ahab turn his royal chariot toward Jezreel, urging his trusty steed to start the journey. And for reasons we will not know this side of heaven, the LORD gave Elijah the ability to run faster than Forrest Gump! (Okay, I had to stop there and laugh at the picture in my brain of Ahab trotting along and then hearing sandals hitting the ground hard and fast, turning to see a blur of the loin-girded Elijah streaking by with a trail of dust behind him.) Isn't that funny?! I honestly think God laughs with us when we enjoy reading his book.
Elijah had his mountain top highs and his mountain top lows, his "Look what God can do" experiences and his "Poor pitiful me" dark times. I think Elijah was a man who may have been a little manic-depressive. And I'm so glad God used Elijah's strengths AND weaknesses to His glory. I too experience those poor-pitiful-sit-under-the-broom-tree-and-dwell-on-my-sadness dark days. But seeing Elijah basking in God's glory gives me hope that I'll be in the right place (in God's presence)at the right time (in God's perfect timing) to see God's mighty power at work. You never know, maybe God will see a need someday to have me gird my loins and run like the wind! ;)
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