Midweek Devotional: Who Is Lord?
This week’s sermon brought us to Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18, where Elijah stood before the prophets of Baal and asked a question that still confronts us today: Who is Lord?
At first glance, this story feels dramatic and distant. Fire falls from heaven. Prophets cry out. Elijah prays boldly. But underneath it all is something deeply personal. Israel had slowly allowed other “powers” to compete for their devotion. What began as compromise eventually became lordship.
The truth is, we face the same struggle today.
Most of us are not tempted to bow before carved idols, but we are constantly tempted to organize our lives around things other than God. Comfort. Money. Approval. Control. Success. Fear. These things quietly fight for influence over our hearts. Like Israel, we can find ourselves limping between two opinions, trying to keep peace between Jesus and the idols we would rather not surrender.
Yet the beautiful part of this story is that Elijah did not rely on his own strength. He prayed.
“Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God.” (1 Kings 18:37)
Prayer is how we invite God’s lordship into our everyday lives. It is how we ask Him to confront what rules us and restore what belongs to Him. God did not reveal His power on Mount Carmel simply to impress people. He revealed Himself so hearts would return to Him.
And He still does that today.
Sometimes we avoid our own “Mount Carmel” moments because we fear what God may ask us to surrender. But freedom begins when we stop resisting His lordship and trust that He alone is worthy to rule our lives.
Reflection Question:
What is one area of your life where God may be inviting you to stop wavering and fully surrender His lordship?
At first glance, this story feels dramatic and distant. Fire falls from heaven. Prophets cry out. Elijah prays boldly. But underneath it all is something deeply personal. Israel had slowly allowed other “powers” to compete for their devotion. What began as compromise eventually became lordship.
The truth is, we face the same struggle today.
Most of us are not tempted to bow before carved idols, but we are constantly tempted to organize our lives around things other than God. Comfort. Money. Approval. Control. Success. Fear. These things quietly fight for influence over our hearts. Like Israel, we can find ourselves limping between two opinions, trying to keep peace between Jesus and the idols we would rather not surrender.
Yet the beautiful part of this story is that Elijah did not rely on his own strength. He prayed.
“Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God.” (1 Kings 18:37)
Prayer is how we invite God’s lordship into our everyday lives. It is how we ask Him to confront what rules us and restore what belongs to Him. God did not reveal His power on Mount Carmel simply to impress people. He revealed Himself so hearts would return to Him.
And He still does that today.
Sometimes we avoid our own “Mount Carmel” moments because we fear what God may ask us to surrender. But freedom begins when we stop resisting His lordship and trust that He alone is worthy to rule our lives.
Reflection Question:
What is one area of your life where God may be inviting you to stop wavering and fully surrender His lordship?
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