Called Back to God
Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 18:16-39
Elijah . . . prayed: “Lord . . . let it be known today that you are God. . . .
When Ahab and Jezebel ruled in Israel, wickedness ran wild. Selfishness, oppression, and idolatry flourished (1 Kings 16:29-33).
Again and again in the Old Testament, the Lord had sent prophets to confront injustice and call people to worship God—and only God—with their whole lives.
The prophets had the particular job of proclaiming God’s Word. They reminded the people of God’s instruction. They proclaimed that the Lord alone is God, and that as his people, we should reflect God’s character. We have been saved with a purpose: to restore justice and righteousness in the culture around us so that God will be glorified in the flourishing of all things. In short, the prophets proclaimed what the kingdom of God was supposed to look like.
Empowered by God’s Spirit, Elijah opposed Ahab for abusing his God-given reign for personal gain. Elijah confronted Jezebel for corrupting the people and killing God’s prophets (1 Kings 18:4). Elijah finally called on the people to turn back to God, and God displayed his power so that the people proclaimed, “The Lord—he is God!”
You too are a prophet. You too are called to show God’s love and justice to the people around you. Are you ready?
Father, in your strength, may we be fearless to show who is Lord in our lives. And if we have strayed, call us back to serve you faithfully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — John Kuperus
Since he was young, John Kuperus has had a passion that everyone would know Jesus. Spreading the good news that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) is very important to him. To be better equipped for missions, John attended Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He applied these skills with marketplace evangelism in a business he started in Sussex, New Jersey. This calling continued to follow him, so John attended seminary and became a minister in the Christian Reformed Church, serving a church in Ontario for eight years. Currently he serves as a missionary for Youth with a Mission (YWAM). He witnesses Jesus changing lives as people walk out of the darkness into the light. John is married to Helen, and they have seven children.
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