“Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, ‘How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him...’
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, ‘O Ball, answer us!’ But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.”
1 Kings 18:21, 26
Hobbling is not a stable way to walk. And as the Israelites proved, hobbling can lead to a lot of pain and torture.
The Israelites had hobbled so long between God and Baal that they became unstable in everything, even hobbling around an altar THEY had made, around what THEY had hoped! “They shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves until the blood gushed out…but still no sound, no reply, no response.” (v. 28)
What a picture of people today, trying to find answers in the gods of this world. They shout with this one and that one, trying to follow their customs. But sadly, they end up cutting themselves badly, and the life they had hoped for gushes out little by little.
The Israelites raved all day long to a god who could neither see nor hear, but their weary hobbling changed when “Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed.” (v. 36) Notice Elijah did not hobble—he simply trusted the God of relationship: “Answer me so these people will know that you, oh LORD, are God and that You have brought them back to yourself.” And, of course, that God answered immediately!
After all, the God of relationship is ALWAYS listening—
Waiting to welcome back those who have been hobbling around way too long.
