Revealing God

³⁶ At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. ³⁷ Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

1 Kings 18:36-37 (NIV)

²³John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:23,29 (NIV)

If the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel isn't my favorite story in the Bible, it has to be in the top 3. The Israelites have almost completely turned away from God and are following Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a showdown. Just Elijah and Jehovah versus 450 prophets of Baal and Baal. The prophets of Baal go first and build their altar and call on Baal to bring down fire. He doesn't. After a while, Elijah starts taunting them: Maybe he's asleep or taking a leak or on vacation. Seriously Elijah, the prophets of Baal think, you're starting to sound like one of those right-wing blowhards on the TV. Can't we have a more civil discourse? Elijah has them flood his altar and prays his prayer and then calls on God to bring down fire. God does, the altar is incinerated, and Elijah has revealed the true God to the Israelites.

Things really weren't that different in John's day. Israel was under Roman rule. The leaders were more concerned with following the law than with expecting the Messiah. They questioned John because he didn't fit their pattern of who he should be. He lived in the wilderness and wore that smelly camel hair coat. He certainly wasn't part of civil society or of the mainstream. What was his deal? John knew that his purpose was to point to Jesus. When Jesus, showed up to be baptized, John said "Behold the Lamb of God!"

Fast forward to today. The National Day of Prayer has just passed. Franklin Graham was disinvited from the ceremony at the Pentagon because of his anti-Islamic views. Really, he was disinvited because he believes that Jesus is the only way to God. As a professing Christian, I think Graham's got it right. It seems that some in the "mainstream" of our society have labeled him a wacko because he believes in a "one true God." One article I read lamented that Franklin wasn't tolerant like his father Billy. Compared to Elijah, Franklin Graham is pretty civil and polite. Compared to Franklin Graham, am I proclaiming Christ? Compared to John am I pointing to Christ? Compared to Elijah am I boldly seeking to reveal God so that those around me will turn to Him?

Heavenly Father, embolden my heart. Help me to proclaim Your love for this fallen world that lead to send Your Son to die on the cross that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. Help me to proclaim the He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to You except through Him. May You be revealed in my life so that those around me will know that You are God and that their hearts will be turned to You. Amen.