When God Sends A Fire
Key Thought | God desires our hearts, and He faithfully draws us back to Himself.
Key Scripture | “Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” —1 Kings 18:37 CSB
The prophet Elijah had remarkable faith, and God used him in a powerful way to turn the hearts of the Israelites back to Himself.
To set the scene:
Israel was in the middle of a severe drought, and famine filled the land. People were suffering. This disaster came because King Ahab had turned from the Lord and led the nation into worshiping Baal.
Elijah went to Ahab with a challenge: turn away from Baal and return to the Lord. Then he called all the people of Israel to meet him on Mount Carmel for a dramatic showdown, Baal versus the one true God. Both Elijah and the prophets of Baal were given a bull to sacrifice. The challenge was simple: call on your god to light the fire.
The prophets of Baal cried out for hours. They shouted, danced, even cut themselves in desperation, but nothing happened. Not a spark.
Then Elijah stepped forward. He gathered the people close so they could clearly see what God was about to do. He rebuilt the altar, placed the sacrifice on it, and then soaked everything in water. He even filled a trench around the altar and drenched that, too. It was impossible for anyone to light it. Then Elijah prayed for God to reveal Himself and turn the hearts of the people back.
1 Kings 18:36–37 (CSB)
“At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things. Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.’”
And then, God moved.
1 Kings 18:38–39 (CSB)
“Then the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, ‘The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!’”
What an incredible display of God’s faithfulness! He used a miraculous moment to capture Israel’s attention and draw their hearts home.
But I often wonder what Elijah felt in those quiet seconds after he prayed. Was he nervous? Did he wonder if he truly heard God clearly? Did he worry about what would happen if the fire didn’t fall?
I think I would have. I trust God, but I’m human, and sometimes I question whether I heard Him right.
Elijah stood on that mountain with the whole nation watching, waiting for God to respond. Was he holding his breath? Was his heart pounding? If it were me, it would have been. But God showed up. He always does. His desire was to bring His people back into close relationship with Himself, and He used Elijah’s obedience to do it.
The truth is, we’re not so different from Israel. We may not worship carved idols, but we often give our attention, energy, and affection to things that take God’s place in our hearts. And just like then, God still longs for us—simply and deeply. He wants our hearts.
My hope is that I stay close enough to Him that He doesn’t need a dramatic display to pull my attention back.
Prayer | Thank You, Lord, for the lessons in Your Word. Draw my heart back to You whenever I wander. Help me to hear Your gentle whispers so my heart doesn’t grow hard or distracted. Teach me to trust what You say and to believe that You will do what You promise. Speak through Your Word, and let it take deep root in my life. Amen.
Reflection
Key Scripture | “Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” —1 Kings 18:37 CSB
The prophet Elijah had remarkable faith, and God used him in a powerful way to turn the hearts of the Israelites back to Himself.
To set the scene:
Israel was in the middle of a severe drought, and famine filled the land. People were suffering. This disaster came because King Ahab had turned from the Lord and led the nation into worshiping Baal.
Elijah went to Ahab with a challenge: turn away from Baal and return to the Lord. Then he called all the people of Israel to meet him on Mount Carmel for a dramatic showdown, Baal versus the one true God. Both Elijah and the prophets of Baal were given a bull to sacrifice. The challenge was simple: call on your god to light the fire.
The prophets of Baal cried out for hours. They shouted, danced, even cut themselves in desperation, but nothing happened. Not a spark.
Then Elijah stepped forward. He gathered the people close so they could clearly see what God was about to do. He rebuilt the altar, placed the sacrifice on it, and then soaked everything in water. He even filled a trench around the altar and drenched that, too. It was impossible for anyone to light it. Then Elijah prayed for God to reveal Himself and turn the hearts of the people back.
1 Kings 18:36–37 (CSB)
“At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things. Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.’”
And then, God moved.
1 Kings 18:38–39 (CSB)
“Then the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, ‘The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!’”
What an incredible display of God’s faithfulness! He used a miraculous moment to capture Israel’s attention and draw their hearts home.
But I often wonder what Elijah felt in those quiet seconds after he prayed. Was he nervous? Did he wonder if he truly heard God clearly? Did he worry about what would happen if the fire didn’t fall?
I think I would have. I trust God, but I’m human, and sometimes I question whether I heard Him right.
Elijah stood on that mountain with the whole nation watching, waiting for God to respond. Was he holding his breath? Was his heart pounding? If it were me, it would have been. But God showed up. He always does. His desire was to bring His people back into close relationship with Himself, and He used Elijah’s obedience to do it.
The truth is, we’re not so different from Israel. We may not worship carved idols, but we often give our attention, energy, and affection to things that take God’s place in our hearts. And just like then, God still longs for us—simply and deeply. He wants our hearts.
My hope is that I stay close enough to Him that He doesn’t need a dramatic display to pull my attention back.
Prayer | Thank You, Lord, for the lessons in Your Word. Draw my heart back to You whenever I wander. Help me to hear Your gentle whispers so my heart doesn’t grow hard or distracted. Teach me to trust what You say and to believe that You will do what You promise. Speak through Your Word, and let it take deep root in my life. Amen.
Reflection
- Where are the places your heart tends to wander?
- What would it look like to return your full attention to God today?
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what God is speaking to you as you read these devotionals. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our devotional emails right to your inbox, hit the subscribe button below and invite your family and friends to subscribe as well! Thank you for being a part of our Opendoor Devotional Community. We appreciate you!
1 Comment
This is so on time for my wandering heart right now, thank you for writing this!