Elijah Rocks

The story of El-ijah [Yahweh is my God] is dominated by the operatic scene where, in the contest with the prophets of Ba-al, he prays and down comes fire from heaven to illustrate to the [once again] wayward Israelites that Yahweh is the true God.

How many of us have that much faith in the power of our prayer?

At the devotional for the Vision Board this past week, Pastor Mark discussed the idea of Opinions vs Convictions. Many people have religious opinions, but fewer probably have convictions. What is a conviction?

Martin Luther King Jr.  -- “ I can’t promise you that it won’t get you beaten. I can’t promise you that it won’t get your house bombed. I can’t promise you won’t get scarred up a bit – but we must stand up for what is right. If you haven’t discovered something that is worth dying for, you haven’t found anything worth living for. “

Elijah placed not only his reputation on the line, but his life as well.  

Joseph Heller in his novel Catch 22 echoes this:
“Anything worth living for," said Nately, "is worth dying for." "And anything worth dying for," "answered the old man, "is certainly worth living for."

We live in a land of religious freedom. We are free to worship God in whatever way we choose. But that freedom does not include a right to avoid criticism for one’s beliefs. Nor does that freedom protect us from harm.

Nor should it. Challenges to our faith should challenge, deepen and clarify our convictions. What separates our opinions from our convictions is our willingness to put “ blood on the word” as one of my college friends used to say. Will I stand up to the false gods of our culture? Will I challenge them at the risk of my reputation? My life?

Is my faith an opinion? Or a conviction? What is worth living for?

Will I allow God to show his power through what I do?

Convict me, God. Amen.
Paul S.