I was recently reminded of a key turning point in my life as I was seeking to know the Lord as my Saviour. I was in my early twenties and for a few years I would have described myself as a seeker – I wanted to be a Christian and I knew the importance of being saved before I died – but I was not urgent in my search. Then one morning our family reading was from 1 Kings 18:21,
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
These words really made me sit up and think, I was just like the Israelites, halting between two opinions. I wanted to be a Christian but I wasn’t willing to follow Christ wholeheartedly. I wanted to be right with God while still having the pleasures of life, some of which I knew I would have to give up if I was truly a Christian. But I realised that if the Lord really is the God of the Bible then the only option was to follow Him fully and if he was not really God then why was I making any attempt to follow Him at all?
I came to the point when I knew I had to either follow the Lord, or leave Him forever. I had to answer the question whether I believed in the God of the Bible or not, and there was no doubt in my mind that I did. If you read through the whole of 1 Kings 18 you will see how clearly God demonstrated to the Israelites that he is the true God and that Baal was a false god. It is just as clear to us today as we have the revelation of God through the Lord Jesus in the Bible – God may not show us fire falling from heaven, but he has sent His Son to live, die and rise again so that we can be saved – what greater proof could we ask for that ‘The Lord, He is the God’ (1 Kings 18:39)?
If you are a believer who has grown cold in your walk with the Lord, then you need to consider this choice – “if the Lord be God follow him”. Follow him fully, seeking to live your whole life for Him.
Or if you are not a Christian, but know deep down that the God of the Bible is the true God, yet you are still seeking to live your life in your own way – stop and think. Listen to the words of Elijah as he challenged the children of Israel – ‘If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal [anything we might make an idol of or put before God in our lives], then follow him.’
Who will you follow?
[A00020 – 06/10/2017]
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