In 1 Kings 18 Elijah meets up with Obadiah and tells him to let Ahab know that he wants to meet with him.  Elijah and Ahab meet and Elijah challenges Ahab and his 450 prophets of Baal to a contest of sorts.  He has Ahab call all of Israel to witness the contest.  The contest pits the 450 prophets of Baal and their god (Baal) against Elijah and the one true God, the LORD.  The prophets of Baal put their ox on their wood and spend all day calling on Baal to send fire. Baal never answers.  Then Elijah rebuilt the altar of the LORD with 12 stones and put the wood and ox on it.  He also had the people pour water on the ox and wood, as well as in the trench he dug around it.  Elijah then asks the LORD to send fire.  The LORD answered and sent fire and completely consumed everything, including the water in the trench.  The people bow down and say, “The LORD, He is God.” The thing that sticks out to me this morning is the reason for which Elijah held this contest.  He gives the reason in verse 37 when he says, “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” His motivation was so that the people would glorify God and turn their hearts back to HIM.  This should be the motivation of God’s people in everything they do. LORD, may my motivation in everything be so that YOU receive glory and that people’s hearts would be turned to You.

– Bryan McKenzie

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