The God Who Answers

 

What a joy it is
an honor and privilege

to worship and
adore You

all other gods leave us
struggling to perform

You say, Come watch
what I will do. 

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You establish Your passion over my performance.

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” ‘You have refused to obey the commands of the LORD and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.’ “

“So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, ‘How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow Him!’ But the people were completely silent.”

“Then Elijah said to them. ‘I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whatever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but not set fire to it. i will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your God, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!’ And all the people agreed.”

1 Kings 18:18-24

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Image from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp, page 145.

Please Inquire

“And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, ‘Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.'” 1 Kings 22:5

Jehoshaphat was willing to go with Ahab to fight at Ramoth Gilead against Syria . . .he just wanted to hear from God about it first.

Lord, I’m willing to go,  just really need to hear from You today. And here’s a simple poem . . .

What Do You Think

I want to help out
and lend my support
so much to be done
but before I set forth
let’s just ask You Lord
for a word today
and see what it is
that You have to say.

Thank you for blessing me along. Next week I’m back in the New Testament with Ephesians.  🙂

He Has Humbled Himself

“So it was when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.”  1 Kings 21:27

“And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,”  1 Kings 21:28

“See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me?  Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days, but in the days of his son, I will bring the calamity on his house.”  1 Kings 21:29

Even though Ahab had provoked God many times, a little humility went a long way.

Oh Lord, I long to stay humble before You, so our relationship can grow and deepen.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

The Process

What will it take to
humble this stiff heart

a word, a glance, a touch
to soften it enough

to lay low before You
forever bowed at Your Holiness

assured that whatever it takes
is so worth the process.

 

Giving In

“Thus says Ben-Hadad, ‘Your silver and your hold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.'”  1 Kings 20:2-3

“And the king of Israel answered and said, ‘ My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.'”  1 Kings 20:4

“Then the messengers came back and said. ‘Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, “Indeed I have sent to you, saying, ‘You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children; but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants.  And it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put in their hands and take it.'”  1 Kings 20:5-6

Giving in to Ben-Hadad only made him bolder to demand more.

Lord, I desire to give in to You today, knowing You only take away what is bad for me, and replace it with all that is good.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

No Holding Back

Whatever You ask of me
I need not hold back

afraid that you will take and take
and somehow I will lack

for whatever I relinquish
You replace with so much more

so now I can trustingly leave
wide open my heart’s door.

Arise and Eat

“And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.'”  1 Kings 19:7

“So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.”  1 Kings 19:8

If we think about it, all of our journeys are too great for us . . .but for Jesus.

Lord, thank You for being the food we need to go on today.   And here’s a simple poem . . .

This Great Journey

We are all on a journey
this walk with the Lord

the way is known to be narrow
the path can seem very long

let us arise and eat early
what He willingly serves

and go on in the strength
of the Lord and His word.

Come Near To Me

“Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.'”  So all the people came near to him.  And he repaired the altar of the Lord, that was broken down.”  1 Kings 18:30

When my youngest gives me something to fix, she likes to watch me fix it as well.

Lord, may we come close enough to You today to realize You are working in all the broken places.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Repair

Come near to Me and do not fear
that you’re too broken down

for I know just what to do
and I know just how

to gather up the pieces
restore and then restart

a place for you to worship Me
on the altar of your heart.

But First

“Then she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar, and see I am gathering  a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.'”  1 Kings 17:12

“And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me, and afterward make some for yourself and your son.'”  1 Kings 17:13

The widow was at the end of her rope when Elijah said, “but make me a small cake from it first.”

Lord, when things look the worst for us, we desire to listen for Your “but firsts”.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

But First

We pray for healing over and over
but nothing’s happening
so Lord, let us fast and pray
just one more time again.

When changes just aren’t coming
and we’ve hit a dead end
oh Lord, let us worship You
and thank You for where we’ve been.

When it looks like we should give up
there isn’t anything more to do
let us listen for the “but first”
that always comes from You.

 

Setting Up

“In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho.  He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.”  1 Kings 16:34

Ahab was busy building an altar for Baal, while Hiel built according to the word of the Lord.

Lord, what am I working on today?  And here’s a simple poem . . .

In His Days

Hiel laid a foundation
according to God’s word

and set up gates
for people to listen and be heard

at a time when Baal
altars were being built

there still remained hearts
that sought His in worship.

 

Dear readers, after posting this, our sweet sis from Jerusalem alerted me that I may have made an error. I’m sure she is right! Please forgive me for not studying further before doing this post. Here is J of Jerusalem’s gentle comment below:

I sure love you, DEAREST Sis, and your word for today is a wonderful word…and God HELP me if you feel that I am judging or being critical, because I am NOT…but maybe you check out the meaning of the scripture…back in Joshua when Jericho was thrown down…and cursed…he said that who ever re-built the city would do it with the blood of his children,…and Heil lost his children to death as he re-built the city that was not to be rebuilt…if i read it right.  Let me know PLEASE if I have read it wrong?  PLEASE don’t take this as criticism.  I just believe that you, like I, LOVE The Word of The Lord and want to know if someone else who seeks Him sees it differently, so I’m sharing this.  Please know that most of what you send leaves me thanking Him for the Light and Truth that you highlight!  I LOVE YOU!  me

ani b’derek

Right In His Sight

“Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord . . .”  1 Kings 15:11

Asa did what was right in God’s sight even though the generations before him had done wrong.

Lord, we desire to follow You today and not blindly do what has been done before.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Most Of All

I see what has been done before
and what others are up to

and feel the pull to follow them
to do just as they do

so keep me in Your Word, oh Lord
let me seek Your heart

to do what You would like me to
to please You most of all.

Pretending

“Now the Lord said to Ahijah, ‘Here is the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask you something about her son, for he is sick.  Thus and thus you shall say to her, for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.‘”  1 Kings 14:5

“And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam.  Why do you pretend to be another person?  For I have been sent to you with bad news.'”  1 Kings 14:6

No matter who we may pretend to be, Jesus knows the real us.

Thank You, Lord, for meeting us right where we are with the Good news of grace and salvation.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Good News

There’s no use pretending –
You see me as I am

filthy, sin ridden
still You did not stay Your hand

but reached out to me
in my deep and desperate need

knowing I was going to die
instead You died for me.