“And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth” (1 Kings 18:1).
TEXT — 1 Kings 18:1-16
Message
The story was told how years ago, medical doctors from the Western Hemisphere who came to Africa were astonished when an unschooled surgical assistant, trained by a missionary physician, bailed them out when they met with a rare medical condition they did not understand. They were not sure what to do as they operated on a patient. At that moment, the young African took over the surgical instruments, cut through layers of tissue and ligaments, and corrected the problem. The stunned doctors asked the boy about the specifics of the complicated procedure. He told them, “I do not know the terms; I just know the way.”
Had Elijah been quizzed on how the Lord would send down the rain after his mission to Ahab, he would have said, “I don’t know, but I know He will fulfil His promise.” If the God-fearing Obadiah had also been questioned why he still carried out Elijah’s instructions, he would have said, “I couldn’t do otherwise; I believe in God and His prophet.” It was enough for Elijah to know the Lord as a faithful Master who would not disappoint His servants. For Obadiah, obeying Elijah was more critical than his fears.
It may be difficult for many believers to break down complex theological terms or talk specifically about how God will deliver on His promises. But we know from the Scriptures and experience that He does not fail. Like the young surgical assistant, we do not know the details of His intervention regarding the hour or day He chooses to step in. But we can boldly declare like Joshua, “There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.”
Christians know the way also. It is Jesus Christ. He is the only route to heaven. We must not fail to give witness to Christ’s power and saving grace for humanity. We must not be afraid to speak about His great promises to those who humbly fall at His feet for redemption. He commands us to go and tell the world about His love for the lost. Elijah obeyed the instructions to go to Ahab before the showers came. He obeyed, and the Lord fulfilled His promise. Blessings also await all those who listen to and obey God even while still staring at their problems.
Thought for the day
Obedience to God precedes His showers of blessings.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
