Even Though I Will: Hold to My Integrity

Naboth had a beautiful vineyard that Ahab desired, but Naboth would not sell it because it was more than property - it was his promised inheritance from God. He and Jezebel plotted to get it by force. The enemy desires to take your spiritual inheritance so that they're is nothing to give to the next generation. Through compromise, he wants us to trade our relation with God to get something that cannot satisfy. The enemy wants to come into our families and churches an destroy them by force or by taking the Spirit that lives within us. As costly as it may be to stand firm in the moment, it is more costly to compromise and suffer the consequences of selling off our faith.

Often times we feel stuck in life. We desire more of the spiritual life but feel like we're unseen and not getting anywhere. Elisha may have felt that his future was behind a plow but God had other plans for his life.  In the midst of God's calling we often have many questions and reservations, but God is looking not for our understanding but for our obedience. Elisha goes all in and eliminates the opportunity to turn back to his source of comfort and security.  He runs to God's calling and makes sure there's not a plan B in life. 

Fresh off the victory at Mount Carmel, Elijah collapses into fear and despair — running for his life and asking God to take it. Yet God meets him in his lowest moment with rest, nourishment, and a gentle whisper, then restores him and sends him back to his assignment. God does not abandon us in our low moments; He tends to us and calls us forward again.

It had not rained for three and a half years and there was no indication that it would rain. Elijah sensed that it was time for the rain to fall. He prayed by faith that Hod would send the rain even through the odds that it wouldn't. That describe faith in its infancy- often times what you are praying for is invisible without any evidence. Six times he prayed with discouraging news, but the seventh time he prayed there was a cloud. It was small and insignificant but that cloud produced a miracle. Today we discover that what we seed today we will see tomorrow.

All throughout human history fire has been essential. The same is true for those who follow Christ- the fire of God's presence burning in our lives is essential to living a life filled with satisfaction. Elijah challenged the followers of Baal to a showdown of who is God. Ball doesn't respond,  God shows up with fire. Dead and cold religion doesn't produce transformation, it is only the fire of God catching and burning white hot in our lives that makes others say The Lord is God. 

We often look down on the little, insignificant things of life. Often times, God will use the little things to do His greatest work. As Elijah responds to God's voice, he is led to a widow woman at the point of desperation. Where she saw a limitation and defeat, God saw an opportunity. It is this point of limitation and when she realized she had nothing left that God multiplied what she didn't have. The greatness of a miracle is not found in the size of the need, but by the greatness of God who provides.