1 Kings 18:25-29: a reflection

25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made. 27At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.” 28They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.

On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to call on their god to send fire. They accept, and from morning until noon they cry out, Baal, hear us! But there is no voice, and no one answers. They dance around their altar; they cry aloud; at last they cut themselves with knives until the blood flows, in a frenzy of desperate effort to rouse their god. But the result is the same all day: no voice, no answer, no one paid attention. Their god was not there to hear.

Notice the futility of their desperate devotion. They gave themselves entirely to calling on Baal, crying out for hours, working themselves into a frenzy, even harming their own bodies, doing everything they could to get a response. And nothing came back; there was no voice, no answer, because there was no one there to answer. All their effort was poured out on a god who could give nothing back, because he did not exist.

That is a picture of the futility of serving false gods, whatever they may be. People still pour themselves out, exhaust themselves, even harm themselves, in devotion to things that cannot finally hear or help them, the idols of success, wealth, approval, pleasure, that promise much and answer nothing. All that effort spent on what cannot respond leaves them, like the prophets of Baal, crying into silence. Do not exhaust yourself serving gods that cannot answer. Consider whether you are pouring yourself out for something that will never hear or help you. Turn instead to the living God, who hears and answers those who call on him; do not spend your strength crying to what cannot respond, but call on the God who is there, and who answers.

Lord, on Mount Carmel the prophets of Baal cried out from morning until noon, danced, and cut themselves, giving everything to rouse their god; but there was no voice, no answer, for there was no one there to hear. Show me the futility of serving false gods. People still pour themselves out, exhaust themselves, even harm themselves, in devotion to things that cannot finally hear or help them, the idols of success, wealth, approval, and pleasure, that promise much and answer nothing. All that effort spent on what cannot respond leaves them crying into silence. Keep me from exhausting myself serving gods that cannot answer. Show me whether I am pouring myself out for something that will never hear or help me. Help me turn instead to you, the living God, who hears and answers those who call on you. Let me not spend my strength crying to what cannot respond, but call on you, who are there, and who answer. You are the God who hears.