The past couple of weeks I have been in Israel. It was an incredible experience! I had 10 days with my dad and together we got to experience a tour through several places in we read about in scripture. I am super humbled to have been in the very places Jesus taught and men of God who walked in tremendous faith. I learned so much and cannot read the Bible the same.
One of the things that I learned was the value of water. Israel is a sub-tropic climate and water is not alway consistent and drought is common. One of the times of drought was when Elijah was a prophet of the Lord and the prophets of Baal and government leaders were killing the prophets of the Lord. God had sent a drought to Israel during this time and it all led to a climatic moment where Elijah, prophets of Baal, and the people of Israel. Elijah offers a challenge: create a sacrifice and ask their god’s to start the fire of their sacrifice.
The prophets of Baal passionate try to convince Baal to start the fire. Elijah mocks them and Baal and nothing happens
1 Kings 18:30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.
Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”
34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.
Imagine three years of drought, water is scarce, sacred, and more valuable than anything else. Gold has little value compared to the source of keeping your family alive. You do not waste water in a drought. Elijah asks the people to pour out their most valuable possession as an offering for the Lord. It had to have seemed irrational to them wasteful even. I am sure they could have reasoned their way out of this offering. They didn’t and they filled the trench. Elijah calls down fire from heaven and the wet bull and the trench burn. Water does not burn unless God is involved. After this they kill the prophets of Baal and Elijah prays for rain, rain comes, and the drought ends. When the people were desperate enough to give irrationally, God showed up and brought freedom.
Where and how is God asking you to give irrationally? Will you obey or rationally talk you way out of if? Do you want God sized blessing and favor or do you trust mostly in yourself to provide?
Friends I will not financially gain anything from this! God wants to pour out His blessing and favor in you life, but He wants to know if He can trust you with what you have. GIVE OBEDIENTLY, AND IRRATIONALLY IF HE ASKS. You CANNOT out give God. Your sacrifice will be in vain! GO, OBEY, GIVE!
Recklessly, Obsessively following Jesus
Brandon Sereg
