1 Kings 18:21 says: “Elijah went before the people and said. ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God follow him.’” Friends, although no one today worships the pagan god Baal, if we are honest, we all have interests, passions, and preoccupations that could fall into the idol category. An idol is anything that we place ahead of God in our lives. Hobbies, jobs, other people and even our own comfort can become an idol of unauthorized worship. Elijah is speaking to God’s chosen people, the Israelites, and bluntly explaining that they would need to choose who they believed was worth following and be fully devoted to him going forward. Here is the catch: The main problem with the Israelites and maybe our biggest struggle today is not a total rejection of God in favor of something else. What is more of a risk is that you and I believe that we can conjoin our personal or pet sins with our relationship with God. God is clear on this one! We must choose, because to not choose or to try and straddle our commitment between both God and anything else is to actually choose the other as more important than God. We can not expect God’s “full time” power and presence in our lives when we are only having a “part time” commitment to God. Let us resolve today that we will echo the words of Joshua:24:15, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Stay close to Jesus – Pastor Bryce
