Never Doubt...

~~~ Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A ~~~ 

~~~Psalm 85 ~~~ Romans 9:1-5 ~~~ Matthew 14:22-33 ~~~

...the LORD said to him (Elijah),

"Go outside and stand on the mountain...

the LORD will be passing by."

Elijah trusted in the Lord, but he was frustrated 

because everywhere he looked the Lord was not there.

Elijah looked for the Lord in the strong 

and heavy wind crushing rocks, but he was not there.

Next the ground began to violently shake 

in an earthquake, but he was not there.

Soon Elijah sees a raging fire nearby,

but he was not there either as he had been for Moses.

Finally it was a tiny whisper that caused Elijah

to come to the entrance of the cave...

this was indeed the Lord, quietly passing by.

The Lord instructed Elijah to stand on the mountain.

Promising there he would see the Lord.

How many times we long to see the Lord, 

but we give up just before he arrives.

When the disciples saw him walking 

on the sea they were terrified. 

"It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. 

Even though Peter was afraid he quickly hops 

out of the boat heading toward Jesus.

Peter does not hesitate

 until it hits him that he was doing the impossible...

he was literally walking on liquid...water...the sea.

No one can walk on top of water 

unless...it is Jesus who calls you to "Come".

Jesus always invites us to "Come"

toward him. He will never send us away.

He will never scold us for wanting to be with him...

to be in his presence.

There is safety in his presence.

We must approach Jesus with confidence in our hearts.

Never doubt...Jesus 

invites you to be with him.

Never question...Jesus 

completely supports you.

The more often we 

get out of the boat... 

and walk towards Jesus

the deeper and stronger 

our trust in the Lord will become.

I will hear what God proclaims;

the LORD — for he proclaims peace.

Fear is squelched by trusting

 in the peace of the Lord.

~~~Profound Peace~~~

Adorned in Glory

~~~ Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord ~~~

~~ Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 ~~ Psalm 97 ~~

~~~ 2 Peter 1:16-19 ~~~ Matthew 17:1-9 ~~~

"This is my beloved Son, with whom

 I am well pleased;

listen to him."

Both times recorded in the Bible where God
 speaks words about Jesus we have witnesses.

During this mountain top transfiguration
Jesus brought three of his most trusted followers.
Peter, James, and John, they walked beside Jesus...
They were witnesses to his public ministry of healing.

They knew first hand of the power he had at his disposal...
power he shared in with God the Father.
The same God who spoke to Moses
on the mountain.

The same God who gave Moses the stone tablets.
The same God who spoke through the prophets.
The same God who called Moses to lead
his chosen people to the land of milk and honey.

God brought Moses down to stand with Jesus
on the mountain to witness the transfigured glory of Jesus.

Moses and Elijah were given the privilege
to hear God speak about his Son, Jesus.

They did not have the opportunity to witness
God's power demonstrated on earth
through Jesus like the disciples present had.

In a way God was saying to Moses and Elijah...
now you see why your work was so critical.

Simultaneously God was saying to Peter, James and John...
now you have even more proof that your work must continue.

This Transfigured Glory of Jesus
transcends all time.

"Do not tell the vision to anyone 
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

We are not first hand witnesses,
but this incredible event has been passed down
to us so that we can pass it on to others.

Seeing this Glory of Jesus
is what we believe Heaven has in store for us.

Jesus touches his disciples and dissolves their fears.

But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid."

I hope to have this experience one day
 as I lay on my death bed.

Seeing the Glory and hearing the voice of God
can indeed be frightening
unless you trust that Jesus will come to
calm you with his touch of peace.

May the Transfigured Glory of Jesus
bring peace into the depths of your soul.

~~~Peace~~~

Looking Forward

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
~~~ 1 Kings 19:16B, 19-21 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~
~~~ Galatians 5:1, 13-18 ~~~ Luke 9:51-62 ~~~

"I will follow you wherever you go." 

Making the personal decision to follow Jesus
 requires one to look forward.

Jesus was always moving toward
 the cross on the hill...
toward securing salvation for all people.

His actions were in preparation, not just for him
 but his followers too.

When one makes the choice to freely follow Jesus
 it must encompass the will to live the life of Christ.

If one is not willing to live the life of Christ,
then why bother to follow him?

If one is not willing to live the life of Christ
are you really following him?

How committed are you to following Christ?

In our Baptism we were claimed for Christ...we are his.

Elijah claimed Elisha by draping his cloak
around Elisha's shoulders.

Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.

The cloak passing from Elijah the prophet, to Elisha,
symbolizes the passing of prophetic authority.
Elisha freely made the choice to follow Elijah.

Elisha left his former life;
 embarking on a new life with the prophet, Elijah.

Jesus tells us if we are to follow him
 we must take up our cross.
We must take up our own cross.
No one is standing in the wings with your cross.

Your personal cross is the cloak
given to us as we choose to follow Christ.

Elijah's cloak was a call to ministry for Elisha.

Choosing to follow Christ prepares
us to wear the cloak while taking up our cross.

"I will follow you wherever you go." 

Choosing to follow Christ does not include
 wearing a super hero cloak.

Choosing to follow Christ does include
taking up your cross every day.

...guided by the Spirit...

Follow Christ...make the choice
that ensures your life will be more meaningful.

We are invited to follow Christ.
Please, take up your cross, grab your cloak
 and come with Jesus.

~~~Blessings beyond your imagination~~~

~~~Peace~~~

Be Ready to Dance

~~~ Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~1 KGS 17:17-24 ~~~ Psalm 30 ~~~

~~~ Galatians 1:11-14A, 15AC, 16A, 17, 19 ~~~ Luke 7:11-17 ~~~

You changed my mourning into dancing;

O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

On the surface the readings today seem to be about death.

The widow's son dies while she is hosting

 the prophet Elijah.

Even Elijah is scratching his head; 

questioning God's timing.

We know that God's plan is bigger than ours.

We know that sometimes we do not understand 

God's plan to take a loved one. 

We struggle so many times with the death of a loved one.

The loss of her son for this widow was devastating.

He was literally her last hope.

She was dependent on her only son 

for her future.

For this widow it is literally life and death.

Elijah feels her pain.

Elijah has great compassion for his hostess.

He takes it upon himself to plead 

on her behalf to God.

God responded to Elijah...

he turned the widow's mourning into dancing.

 I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

God worked through Elijah...

God breathed life back into the child.

Miracle? Yes. God is the one who gets the credit.

Elijah surrendered himself to God.

God used Elijah as his representative.

God worked through Elijah.

 I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Jesus, followed by a great crowd, 

encounters another widow mourning the loss of her son.

Both Jesus and the widow come face to face, 

along with their respective crowds.

The two crowds had no idea what they 

were about to witness.

The funeral procession is halted 

through the compassion of Jesus.

Jesus touches the coffin and calls for 

the young man to rise.

Then Jesus carries him, 

as he was talking, to his mother.

These two crowds witnessed the power 

of God over death.

Yes, they were all filled with fear.

Even in their fear they were compelled to glorify God.

“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, “

and “God has visited his people.”

We know God is with us.

God is with us in our darkest times.

God is with us when it seems our mourning will 

never turn to dancing.

We have been promised that on the last day 

we will be raised from the dead.

We will have eternal life in heaven.

Our mourning will be turned into dancing.

We too can experience the joy of the two widows.

Blessing as God teaches us to dance.

~~~Peace~~~

Broom Tree Service

~~~ Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ 1 Kings 19:4-8 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Ephesians 4:30—5:2 ~~~

~~~ John 6:41-51 ~~~

...I am the living bread that came down from heaven;

whoever eats this bread will live forever;

and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.

Many times at Mass I see people remain

 in their place during Communion.

It makes me feel sad for them.

Unless you have committed a grave mortal sin 

there is no good reason not to receive.

Jesus never said only those who are worthy 

will receive me as their 'bread of life'.

Because, who are we trying to fool?

We will never be worthy to receive him into our body.

The psalmist tells us to taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Not just the goodness, but the life of the Lord.

Jesus is the 'bread of life'...eternal life.

Elijah, surrendered his life to God resting under the 'broom tree'.

A broom tree is one of the smaller trees in the area.

Elijah leans against the trunk of the tree...

resting on God as he prays for death to come take him.

He is weary and tired.

As he sleeps peacefully under the tree

an angel comes delivering food.

The angel not only brought food, but also a message from God.

“Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” 

He got up, ate, and drank;

then strengthened by that food,

he walked forty days and forty nights

 to the mountain of God, Horeb.

Jesus is the Bread of Life 

he is our strength for the journey.

We have a standing invitation to come receive this living bread.

Sometimes our journey keeps us from coming to receive;

this is when God may send one of his angels 

carrying his bread of life to you.

No matter where you are God

 will find a way to nourish your soul.

Elijah sought God under the broom tree.

Where do you seek him?

The life that Jesus offers to you is beyond 

leaning on the broom tree.

The shade and rest space allows us to be fed...

to be strengthened... to continue the journey...

Your journey will end when you finally exhale your last breath.

Until that day comes...

be fed by the Bread of Life...Eucharist.

Blessed by Jesus to be food for the journey.

~~~ Peace ~~~

Cloaked for God

~~~ 1 Kings 19:19-21 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~ Matthew 5:33-37 ~~~

The call of Elisha;
his name means 'my God is salvation'.

Elijah went over to him (Elisha) and threw his cloak over him.

God worked threw Elijah to claim him for his own symbolized by his cloak.
Elijah claimed Elisha for himself with his cloak.

Cloaks were made of animal's hairs, typically worn by kings and prophets.
Elijah did not need to give any explanation to Elisha
 when he covered him with his cloak.

In effect he took him under his wing.
Elisha gladly became the servant of Elijah.
God had chosen Elisha to follow in the prophetic footsteps of Elijah,
but Elijah did not feel that he was smart enough. 

Elijah says look come with me and I will teach
 you what I know and God will do the rest...don't worry.

At first Elisha was torn between leaving with Elijah
 and pausing to kiss his parents goodbye.

When God calls it is not
always at a convenient time in our lives.

We have many excuses of our own
 when God enters into our lives.

Covering another person with your cloak
means you are now connected to them...
you are committing to take care of them.

God sent Elijah to Elisha.
God gave Elisha the faith to answer the invitation.
Elisha was not in the temple learning the Scriptures;
he was working in the field for his parents.
He even humbly admits he is not equipped
 to become one of God's prophets.

Elisha was busy living his life.
He was not trying to become a learned man of God.
He was not someone most would
 have ever suspected God would use.
Elisha responded and was greatly blessed by God.

Jesus says...
You do not chose me, I chose you.

This was true for the young prophet to be;
it is true for us today as well.

We are blessed to be chosen by God.
Are you running away?
Are you giving excuses?
Are you answering his call even though
you do not feel prepared?

~~~Peace~~~

God, Where are You?

~~~Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua~~~

 ~~~Priest and Doctor of the Church~~~

~~~ 1 Kings 19:9A, 11-16 ~~~ Psalm 27 ~~~ Matthew 5:27-32 ~~~

At the mountain of God, Horeb,

Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.

But the word of the LORD came to him,

“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;

the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains

and crushing rocks before the LORD—

but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake— 

but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake there was fire—

but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.

When he heard this,

Elijah hid his face in his cloak

and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

A tiny whisper causes Elijah to hide his face in his cloak.

Why?

Sometimes God is not where we expect him to be.

Sometimes he is not where we thought he would be.

Sometimes he is not where we want him to be.

Many times he surprises us with where he turns up;

like in today's reading from 1 Kings.

God is in the whisper, not the wind, earthquake, or fire.

Certainly God could have been in any 

of those three powerful images, but he chose the whisper.

Maybe Elijah covered his face because he was embarrassed;

he was looking for God in the wrong places. 

Maybe he covered his face because he realized just how close

 he came to completely missing the presence of God.

God does not need to reveal himself through power and might.

God can reveal himself in quiet subtle ways.

Does God live up to your expectations of him?

Have you ever felt like covering your face 

after noticing the presence of God?

God sees Elijah and calls out to him,

just as he called out to Adam and Eve in the garden...

just as he calls out to us when we go into hiding.

God spoke to Elijah and calmed his fears.

God delivered him from his enemies with only a whisper.

God did knock Saul from his horse to get his attention,

but he speaks to Elijah in a soft gentle whisper.

Dear Lord, bless me with the desire
 to cherish the times your presence is but a whisper in my soul.
~~~Peace~~~

Prophet in the Middle

~~~ 1 Kings 17:7-16 ~~~ Psalm 4 ~~~ Matthew 5:13-16 ~~~

O LORD, let the light 

of your countenance shine upon us!

The name “Elijah” means “the Lord is my God.” 

Elijah stands in the middle of the battle between
 the fertility god Baal and The Lord.
Who will the Israelis pledge their loyalties to,
 Baal or the Lord of Elijah.

Being a prophet must be both challenging and rewarding.
You are both the bearer of good and bad news.
Your message is either heeded or you are ousted.
Whatever the result it is never easy.
Oftentimes the one chosen by God to be a prophet
does not want to accept this anointing.

Elijah had a most difficult task, because Baal was the favored god
of King Ahab's wife, Jezebel.

One can only imagine her outrage at Elijah's
 announcement of the drought.

Jezebel could have easily ordered him to be executed.

God saw fit to protect him by sending him away.

God protects us in ways we do not see or understand too.
God provided for Elijah's well-being;
he sent food by raven.
He led him to the poor widow
who was preparing to die with her son. 

She was an unlikely one to rescue him from starvation.
She had very little left in the cupboard.

She, however, listens to Elijah and complies with his request.
Sometimes God asks us to do something out of our expectations.
The widow was resigned to her fate;
God entered in and changed her whole life.
God not only changed her immediate life, he gave her a new life.
The flour sack and the oil jar mysteriously replenished themselves...
of course we know God did this for her obedience.

For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’

God watches over those he has appointed to do his work.
The work of a prophet was one of the most rewarding
 and one of the most dangerous.

That day God Blessed the house of the widow.
Later God allowed Elijah to perform a miracle
when the widow's son suddenly dies.

She had been a good and faithful servant of the Lord;
 God in turn gave her son back to her.

Certainly we cannot expect such demonstrative
miracles from God on a regular basis.

God is always at work on our behalf.
He does shine the light of his countenance down upon us.

Being in the middle is not so bad when
God is part of the mix. 

Being in the middle can be a Blessing
 when you are bringing forth the Kingdom of God.

What are you in the middle of today?
Where is God in this picture?
~~~Peace~~~

Hope is More than Surviving

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~1 Kings 17:17-24~~Psalm 30~~Galatians 1:11-19 ~~Luke 7:11-17~~

 

Both stories we have today are of widows

 who are facing the reality of the death of another loved one.

Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.

 

He took the son from the lap of the grieving mother.

A woman who has already faced the death of her spouse.

He took the son away to the upper room.

The upper room which can be associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Elijah prayed over the child three times...he prayed

to the Trinity without having knowledge of it.

 

Elijah asked for the breath of life to return to the child.

He prayed in God's name.

“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”

 

Paul acknowledges that it is God who prepared his heart.

It is God who works through him.

 

'...the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.'

Paul too was given new life even though no one interceded on his behalf,

but rather God sought him out from his own.

New life can be quite surprising and shocking

when it comes to someone like Paul.

Paul was confident and comfortable in his old life.

Until God came to him, Paul thought

 he was doing the right thing with his life.

 

'...The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.'  

 

Elijah and Paul can make this claim humbly.

It is God who works his miracles through their earthly person. 

 

 

The returning of life is a vivid example of never

losing hope in the power of the Lord God. 

Hope is held dear by all believers.

 

We praise God;

You changed my mourning into dancing... 

 

 Jesus comes to the coffin of the widow's son.

Moved with pity he tells her to stop crying.

 He brought her hope that God is here for his people.

Jesus touched the coffin and the breath of life returned to his body.

Jesus placed the child in his mother's arms.

Later, the lifeless body of Jesus would be placed

 into the arms of his mother.  

 

Jesus is the hope of the world.

 “God has visited his people.” 

God continues to place hope into our hearts.

Hope that can only come from his promise of ever lasting life in him.

 

Hope of the World, be with us.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~~ Matthew 17: 9a, 10-13 ~~~

One of the oldest children's games is Rock Paper Scissors.

It is popular because it requires nothing but a friend and yourself.

Here are the rules:

Rock...make a fist with your hand

Paper....lay your hand out flat

Scissors...make a cutting motion

by opening your pointer and middle fingers

Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock...

The objective is to select a gesture which defeats that of the opponent.

It is a fun game to select a 'winner'.

 

In the scriptures today we have Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus.

"In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace..."

 

Elijah came before John the Baptist.

John the Baptist came before Jesus.

The coming of Jesus brings more than any of the prophets

or even John the Baptist could offer.

 

John the Baptist confirms what the prophets had been proclaiming

 for many previous years including Elijah.

 

Elijah could call down fire from the sky.

John the Baptist scooped up water from the Jordan River,

poured it over the head of Jesus parting the sky for

the voice of God to proclaim...

this is my beloved Son...

Jesus broke the chains of sin and opened the gates of heaven

so that we may enter into eternal life with him in heaven.

 

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

 

 

We do not need the play the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

to see the face of God.

The birth of Jesus in a humble stable 'beats' everything else.

We can see the face of God in the face of the child Jesus.

 

None of the prophets; not Moses or Elijah not even John the Baptist

can compare to what this child Jesus does for us.

He comes with the power given to him from the Father.

He has power over earth, wind, fire, and water.

 

We are in the middle of Advent

the birth of our salvation draws nearer with each passing day.

It is good for us to reflect now on how much

we appreciate what has been done for us.

God sent his only beloved son to live among us.

The Word becomes flesh...

and he lives among us.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

The Widow's Gift

~~~ Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ 1 Kings 17:10-16 ~~~ Psalm 146 ~~~ Hebrews 9: 24-28 ~~~ Mark12:38-44 ~~~

 

The first reading and the Gospel from Mark use the example of a widow.

In Biblical times a widow within the Jewish community had no status. Without her husband she had literally no one to take care of her. She was left to fend for herself which often ended in poverty.

 

In the first reading we have the desperate widow who barely has enough food to feed both herself and her young son.

 

"...there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug."

 

She is resigned herself to the fact that she and her son are in fact doomed.

They are facing imminent death from starvation.

She is scraping together what little she has left to provide for her son.

 

You can imagine how torn she must have been when the prophet, Elijah, asks her to share her last bit of food with him.

Giving water to Elijah was was enough...just go to the source scoop up a cupful and bring it to him. But he asks for more; he wanted some bread as well.

 

Certainly it would not have been unreasonable for her to have ignored his request.

Somehow Elijah's words dispel her fears and she decides to honor his request for some bread. In reality what did she have to lose? She was going to die soon from lack of food. Elijah goes on promising her that neither the flour jar or the oil jar would go empty.

Here she takes a huge leap of faith and puts her trust in his words.

As we know she has the grace to make the right decision and God blessed her with abundance. For the next year the flour and the oil remained constant.

 

God had indeed kept his promise foretold to Elijah.

Some may have accused the widow of acting in a foolish manner,

especially when she also had her son to care for.

 

Sometime trusting in God does make us appear to be foolish

in the eyes of others.

What we give to God is returned to us a hundredfold.

Our giving is never in vain.

 

 

Our second widow has come to the temple to worship. She files into the temple with the crowds and drops in her last two coins for her offering.

Some would say that she too acted foolishly; giving her last couple coins.

The scribes and Pharisees all but despised widows. They often took advantage of their poor financial state insisting that they pay their part.

 

So there she was giving her all along side of those

who were giving from their abundance and wealth.

She was giving from her poverty.

Which is the greater gift?

If we only give from our abundance...is it truly giving?

 

Give yourself fully to God.

He will use you to accomplish great things

on the condition that you believe

much more in His love than in your own weakness.
Mother Teresa

 

These wise words from Mother Teresa

give us much to contemplate in this season of thanks and giving.

 

Jesus gave all that he was for our salvation...

every last drop of blood.

We have never been expected to give at that deep level.

 

May our giving bring us greated cause to trust in God's providential care.

He will take what litle we may have and turn it into so much more.

God will provide!

The jar will never be empty if we trust in him.

God is Here

~~~ 2 Kings 2:1, 6-11 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18 ~~~

The bases are loaded...God has them all covered...you are up to bat...you cannot miss the ball...a home run is within your realm of possibilities.

That is exactly what comes to mind as I reflect on today's readings. They are two very different extreme readings. God wants us to see that he is in every part of our lives. He wants us to see him in the 'whirlwind'...'parting waters'...'flaming chariots'...'behind closed doors'...'hidden in silence'.

Whatever you could imagine happening in your life God is there.

When I read about Elijah being drawn up to heaven in a 'whirlwind' I cannot help but recall the many scenes of tornadoes. Tornadoes pick up everything in their path, destroying and splintering whatever is in their way.

But even out of this devastating destruction; we hear stories of how God was present keeping people safe from harms way. Sometimes the stories are truly amazing, maybe only one small piece of a structure remains standing in the middle of complete annihilation.

God is making a really bold statement here with Elijah's flaming chariot and horses.

Elisha has no doubt; his prayers were answered. He would indeed be granted his prayer request for a 'double portion' of the spirit.

The psalmist encourages us to remember...

"Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord."

The gospel gives us the stark contrast.

"...when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."

I personally feel more comfortable praying in an inner room.

But I do recognize that praising God through vibrant song and even dance is also acceptable. There are as many ways to pray as there are people to pray.

Earlier in the first book of Kings:

"Then the LORD said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound.

When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah?"

(1 Kings 19:11-13)

Even in the midst of whirlwinds and flames God comes as a whisper or even in the silence of you inner room....your heart.

Listen for his voice even when you think you cannot hear it.

God is here...He has all the bases covered!

The Test of Fire

~~~ Kings 18:20-39 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~ Matt. 5:17-19 ~~~
St. Anthony of Padua
Priest and Doctor of the church

The test of fire! Make up your minds..."How long will you straddle the issue?"

What were the people waiting for? why was it so difficult for them to decide?

Were they fearful of making the wrong decision? Did they need proof?

Elijah organizes a contest of fire between the gods...the Lord God and Baal.

Elijah was going to prove his point be using pyrotechnics.

Elijah was confident that his God would ignite the fire and that Baal would do nothing.

The local people were more than eager to enter into this contest of fire.

They followed all of the set up guidelines; refraining from lighting the fire themselves.

The more they danced and cried out to Baal the more frustrated they became at his silence and lack of response. 

God does not answer just because we scream and holler, dance around or inflict injury upon ourselves. Elijah called the people to himself and
demonstrated how to prepare for the Lord.

"He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the LORD had said, "Your name shall be Israel."
He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones,
and made a trench around the altar
large enough for two measures of grain.
When he had arranged the wood,
he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.
"Fill four jars with water," he said,
"and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood."
"Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he said,
and they did it a third time.
The water flowed around the altar,
and the trench was filled with the water."

When all was prepared Elijah prayed to the Lord.

"LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
let it be known this day that you are God in Israel
and that I am your servant
and have done all these things by your command.
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God
and that you have brought them back to their senses."
Well if you continue to read this passage you see that God does indeed ignite the fire right before their very eyes. And this fire consumes everything it reaches the water.

In our own lives we can be consumed with the fire of God's love.
It is possible just look at the lives of the saints.

The key element in Elijah's prayer is that he relinquishes all credit
submitting it to God. He clearly states that he is the servant of God.
Mother Teresa considered herself a mere pencil in the hand of God.
We will certainly run into problems when we try to take credit for those things accomplished through God alone. Who are we without God?

For whatever reason the people needed proof of the power of God to believe.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing.
No matter how much I may want God to reveal himself in my life
or to answer a prayer request for a loved one;
 all things are in his time.
Scripture tells us in Ecclesiastes there is a time for everything.

God alone knows the timetable.
God alone knows what we need.
God alone is our hope.
In him we place our trust.

Do you believe, God alone is enough?