1 Kings 18:27-39 – The God Who Answers

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Who are you crying out to, and are they answering your cries?

Today’s devotional reading: 1Kings 18:27-39

The devil would have you believe that God won’t hear or answer your every cry – don’t listen to the devil’s lies! God gave the world His only begotten Son, and He reconciled all things to Himself. Through the shedding of His blood, Christ opened the doors to the throne of God so that those who seek Him can find Him. God can be found sitting on His throne, and moreover, His ears are not stopped up from listening.

Sadly, many have become like the people of Elijah’s day. In the day of Elijah, the people had stopped worshiping the Lord and had begun to worship Baal, the god of Jezebel, a Canaanite god. They had torn down the altar of the Lord to worship their rain god. Yet, it was in that day that God had caused the rain to cease for three years, and the land was in severe drought.

In severe drought, Baal had failed the people, yet they still turned to him. In a season of drought, that is when one ought to stop with rain dances – rituals, religious acts – and turn to true faith. Yes, when you are going through great struggle and dealing with much sorrow, that is a time to look to God and walk by faith. Deliverance from your struggles will not come by way of luck, but by way of faith.

When Elijah stood on Mount Carmel before the people, he rebuilt the altar of God that had been torn down, and called out to the Lord. God’s response was immediate, without rituals, performance, or religious acts. All it takes to get a response from the Lord is for one to cry out in faith to Him.

The devil would have you believe that God isn’t going to answer, and he’s right: the Lord will never answer if you don’t call on Him. Yet, the devil is wrong in that when you call on the Lord, God will be right there. Give it a try today, call on the Lord, and see the truth for yourself.