1 Kings 18:1-5: a reflection

1After many days, the LORD’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.” 2Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. 3Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly; 4for when Jezebel cut off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”

In the account of Elijah's return to confront Ahab, we meet a quieter figure of remarkable faithfulness: Obadiah, who was over the household of the wicked king Ahab. Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly, the account tells us; for when Jezebel cut off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water. Here was a man faithful to God in a deeply hostile place, serving in the court of a king who opposed God, under a queen who was killing God's prophets; and there, at great risk, he quietly protected a hundred of them. His faithfulness was not loud or public; it was the quiet courage of doing right where he was, even in a hostile setting, even at great personal danger. Faithfulness to God does not require a friendly setting; Obadiah kept his faith and did good in the most hostile of places.

Notice Obadiah's quiet, costly faithfulness in a hostile place. He served in the household of a king who opposed God, under a queen who was killing God's prophets; it was as hostile a setting for faithfulness as could be. Yet Obadiah feared the LORD greatly, and at real risk to himself, hid and fed a hundred of God's prophets. His faithfulness was quiet, not public or celebrated; but it was real and costly, doing good for God in a place where doing so was dangerous. He did not wait for a friendly setting to be faithful; he was faithful where he was, in the hostile court, at great personal risk. The quiet courage to fear God and do right even in a hostile place, even when it is dangerous, marked Obadiah. Faithfulness where we are, however hostile the setting, is possible, as his life shows.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can be faithful to God even in a hostile place, with quiet courage. We can suppose that faithfulness to God requires a friendly setting, and give up on doing right where the setting is hostile; but Obadiah feared God greatly and protected his prophets while serving in the court of a king who opposed God, at great personal risk. Faithfulness does not wait for friendly surroundings; it can be kept, with quiet courage, even in the most hostile of places. Do not give up on faithfulness because your setting is hostile; be faithful where you are, with quiet courage, as Obadiah was in Ahab's court. Be faithful to God with quiet courage even in a hostile place, doing right where you are as Obadiah feared the LORD greatly and hid God's prophets while serving in the court of a king who opposed God; for faithfulness does not require a friendly setting but can be kept, at whatever risk, even in the most hostile of places, and there is a quiet courage in doing right where we are rather than waiting for surroundings that make it easy.

Lord, in the account of Elijah's return to confront Ahab, we meet a quieter figure of remarkable faithfulness: Obadiah, who was over the household of the wicked king Ahab. Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly, the account tells us; for when Jezebel cut off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water. Here was a man faithful to you in a deeply hostile place, serving in the court of a king who opposed you, under a queen who was killing your prophets; and there, at great risk, he quietly protected a hundred of them. His faithfulness was not loud or public; it was the quiet courage of doing right where he was. Show me Obadiah's quiet, costly faithfulness in a hostile place. He served in the household of a king who opposed you, under a queen who was killing your prophets; it was as hostile a setting for faithfulness as could be. Yet Obadiah feared you greatly, and at real risk to himself, hid and fed a hundred of your prophets. His faithfulness was quiet, not celebrated; but it was real and costly. He did not wait for a friendly setting to be faithful; he was faithful where he was. Take that to my heart, for I can be faithful to you even in a hostile place, with quiet courage. I can suppose that faithfulness to you requires a friendly setting, and give up on doing right where the setting is hostile; but Obadiah feared you greatly and protected your prophets while serving in the court of a king who opposed you. Faithfulness does not wait for friendly surroundings. Keep me from giving up on faithfulness because my setting is hostile; help me be faithful where I am, Lord, with quiet courage, as Obadiah was in Ahab's court.