Daily Devotional

Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18:21). 

Not all animals can vocalize noises. Snails, worms, and hermit crabs are silent. If you’d like a quiet pet, you might get a goldfish, turtle, snake, lizard, or rabbit (though they can make some noise). Most mammals have a voice box and most birds have a syrinx, but some just don’t “talk” very much. The woodpecker doesn’t whistle or sing, but it still manages to make a lot of noise. 

Have you ever read a book to a child about farm animals that tells the sound each creature makes? The cow says, “Moo.” The cat says, “Meow.” And the duck goes, “Quack.” But you might be stumped if a child asked you to make the noise of a cheetah, koala bear, or rhino! What does the armadillo say? Or the fox? (They do make vocal sounds.) 

When Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and asked the backslidden Israelites, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” What was their response? The Bible says, “But the people answered him not a word.” Was it because they suddenly lost their ability to speak? No. God was speaking to their hearts. They were thinking and watching. 

The Lord dramatically answered Elijah’s prayer by fire. It consumed the sacrificial animal, the wood, the water poured over the offering, and even the rocks! At this point, the people suddenly found their voice. The Bible says, “Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!’” (1 Kings 18:39). 

Solomon once said there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). This is true in the Christian’s life. Sometimes we are told, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Other times we are encouraged, “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 98:4). Doing the right one at the right time requires prayer and listening. 

Dear Jesus, today I wait before You in reverent silence and in joyful praise.