April 9 -- "Choose Your Altar"

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 18 

"Choose Your Altar"

Elijah is about to humiliate the false prophets of Baal. He has challenged them to a duel to prove that his God (Yahweh) is the one and only true and living God. Just before the contest begins, Elijah shouts out a dare to the people – challenging them to stop “sitting on the fence” and make the choice of which God they will serve. “If Yahweh is the real God, then go after Him; if it’s Baal, then go after him.” But whatever you do, MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!  Don’t just stand there hesitating between two opinions. The people were stuck between two altars. So, Elijah draws a line in the sand and tells them (in no uncertain terms) that they must choose which side of the line they’re going to be on. Choose your altar.

Here we see the problem of indecision that faces so many people in our world today. They say they want to follow Jesus, but they still have attachments to the world. They are sitting on the fence. They can’t decide which altar to worship at – the altar of the one true and living God; or the altar of the culture around them. Sadly, these people have “too much of Jesus to be happy in the world, and too much of the world to be happy in Jesus.” They are hesitating. They are limping between two different opinions. Fear of God or fear of man? Devotion to God or devotion to this world’s ways? Choose your altar.

As the day progressed, the people were witnesses of a spectacular show of God’s power as He brought down fire upon the altar set up by Elijah. The false prophets were utterly humiliated when their so-called “god” did nothing for them. Their altar was fire-less. This is always the case when someone chooses the wrong altar. Those today who choose any form of modern idolatry – the gods of self, materialism, sensual pleasure, possessions, naturalism, pride, intellect, or self-indulgence, will always end up with a fire-less altar. In the end, there is no power in any of those idols. Choose your altar.

Which altar do you choose? Are you hesitating to give your life wholeheartedly to Jesus? Are you, like the people of Elijah’s day, limping between two different opinions? Are you holding back, sitting on the fence? Not sure who to follow? The choice for all of us is pretty clear – follow Jesus wholeheartedly or don’t follow Him at all. There really is no middle ground. Don’t think you can float along without making a decision. Your failure to fully choose Jesus is your choice to reject Him. “If Yahweh is the real God, then go after Him; if it’s anyone (or anything) else, then go after him.” Choose your altar.