SWHW Bible Reading Plan - Year 2 January 2021Sample

January 12

Top Takeaway from Michelle Myers:

"YES!" I screamed out loud. That's it—that's the tension right there!

And then, I proceeded to highlight, underline, and circle 1 Kings 18:21. This happened in January 2017—nearly four years ago to the date. But it's a moment I'll never forget because I revisit it often.

Let's read it again, and then dig deeper:

"Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word." - 1 Kings 18:21

Elijah's plea feels heavy, but it feels even heavier when we realize "all the people" Elijah is speaking to is Israel—God's chosen people. What could have happened to make them forget all the ways God had made Himself known to them? 

Well, that's just it. There wasn't one particular incident. They just simply consumed themselves in the world and became attracted to other gods—gods that cooperated with their fleshly desires—and over time, their hearts grew cold to the Lord. 

That tension right there is what birthed the she works His way ministry—knowing that following Christ goes one way, but so often, what we encounter in the work world attempts to tug us in the opposite direction. For a while, we can attempt to "balance" both opinions. And most of the time, we do not balance by attempting to do both at the same time, but we "balance" our lives by compartmentalizing them. 

When I'm here, I'm a Christian. 

When I'm there, I'm my profession. 

You may even feel like it's "working" at first. You feel like you're growing in your faith, and you feel like you're growing at work. But at some point, no matter how hard you try to keep them separate, these two areas of your life will collide. Maybe it's a matter of your priorities or a situation of integrity. But eventually, God's message and the world's message will conflict so greatly that you'll be forced to make a decision. 

You'll have to stop hesitating between two opinions and decide which one you will follow. 

So Elijah stands alone as God's prophet, and he challenges the prophets of Baal while Israel watches. They will each prepare an altar for a sacrifice, and the god who answers by fire—He is God (1 Kings 18:24).

For hours and hours, Baal's prophets attempt to call on Baal to send fire. They shouted, they danced, and they even hurt themselves as an attempt to get Baal's attention. And as you would expect from a false god made from human hands, nothing worked. There was only silence.

Now, you may not ever be tempted to follow Baal as you go about your work day. But what about power? Money? Material possessions? Success? We no longer make statues our idols, but culture still chooses things other than God as the best solutions for our lives. 

And if we put something like success on the throne of our lives and we give it our worship . . . even if it appears to "work" at first, it will eventually fail us. We will experience something that makes us cry out in deep need, and just like Baal, if we turn to a false god to save us, we will only be met with silence.

But something very different happened when Elijah called on God. And in truly dramatic flair, Elijah was so confident in God's ability to consume the altar with fire, he poured water all over the altar first.

And as soon as Elijah prayed for God to make Himself known before the people, fire fell from heaven from the one, true God (1 Kings 18:38). 

I wouldn't warn you about this if I didn't think it was important. But because the world literally shouts its agenda at you every chance it gets, I need you to know that it's so easy to be like the Israelites, slowly getting comfortable with false gods. And before you know it, your comfort with the things of this world can cause you to stop walking in God's direction because you're stuck hesitating between two opinions. 

It's really hard to take a stand for God if you're trying to walk with one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world. Jump on God's path with both feet. Pursue Him in every area of your life—not just the compartments where following Him makes sense and feels comfortable. 

Trust Him to put Himself on full display. Have confidence that even if you appear to be standing alone for Christ, just like Elijah standing alone on Mt. Carmel, whichever side has God is always the majority. 

He can consume the "wet trenches" of your life—the places that seem humanly impossible for God to make Himself known—with His power.  So let's stop hesitating between two opinions and call on Him to do it.

God, forgive me for the moments when I hesitate between two opinions because I've allowed my glance to linger too long at the things of this world and what it has to offer me. God, remind me often that the life of the dual pursuit—the one that wants all of You and all of the world is exhausting, empty, and dangerous. I don't want to get comfortable with this world to the point to where it begins to attract me. I just want You, God. And I trust that You will provide me with everything I need. I'm ready to go all in, Lord. Make your fire fall on the wet trenches of my life, so those around me will be amazed by Who You are. I'm willing to follow You wherever You lead me. I love You. Amen.