Worship While You're Waiting
Read 1 Kings 18 Chapter 18 tells the detailed story of the dramatic demonstration Elijah used to remind the people who is the One True God. There is much rich content in this story, but instead of looking at too many details here, I want to focus on the end result and on one simple act Elijah did when it was over. In the contest between Baal and God, Elijah’s ultimate goal was to turn the people’s hearts back to worshiping God (verse 37). When the people saw the fire on the very wet wood, stones, dust, and even in the trench around the altar, “They fell face down and said, ‘Yahweh, He is God!’” This is the turning point in the story because God had promised the rain would come when the people’s hearts changed. We see this attitude of worship in Elijah too, as he is still waiting for that promised rain. “Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.” And what did he do there? “He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.” Elijah assumed this humble posture of wo...