“If The Lord Is God, Follow Him…!”

“If The Lord Is God, Follow Him…!”
Once upon a time Elijah said to the people of Israel, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
Elijah was pained by the idolatory that characterized the landscape through the influence of Jezebel, the epitome of evil. He was equally pained by the hypocrisy of the people who were indecisive to make a choice of the God they should follow.
Elijah finally proved the power of God to them when God answered him by doing what Baal could not do when his four hundred prophets called on him.
When God answered Elijah the people “fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord – he is God! The Lord – he is God!'” (I Kgs.18:20-30&36-39).
As it is, the problem is not about acknowledging that the Lord is God, the problem is adhering to Elijah’s complete words. “If the Lord is God, follow him…”
On this day five hundred and three years ago Martin Luther a young priest/theologian posted ninety-five theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. There was nothing dramatic in what he did. It was “the usual procedure for giving notice of such disputations, which were a regular feature of University life…”
Luther was convinced that he would have papal support for exposing the evils of the traffic of indulgences. Luther’s ninety-five theses gave birth to the Reformation and Protestantism.” This in turn led to a Counter Reformation within the Catholic Church.
But as the saying goes, “Ecclesia Reformata Semper Reformanda!” – The Church reformed is in need of always being reformed.” Elijah’s action on Mount Carmel was a reformation urging the people to the true worship of the Lord God.
There is a tendecy to accept that the Lord is God without following him. We call him with our lips that he is God but we keep running after the Baals of our times.
As we commemorate Reformation Day may we as individuals, as a Church and as a people stop wavering between two opinions. “If the Lord is God, follow him, but if the others are God, follow them!” Stop wavering between two opinions and mixing things up!
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit ignite the flame of revival in us so that we should make informed choices to follow the Lord God in spirit and in truth. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend and Happy Reformation Day! Peace be with you!