T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S atry. It was a sin against God and a crime against the nation. The priests of Baal by introducing a new divinity were guilty of high treason and had for feited their lives. The idolatry which they brought in entailed temporal dis asters upon the people. These calami ties could only be removed by removing the idolatry and therefore love to the nation required that its instigators should be destroyed. FRIDAY, January 20. I Kings 18:41- 46. Prayer and its answer. The prayer of Elijah has seven note worthy characteristics. It was based on the promises of God. Deut. 11:13, 14. It was earnest, v. 42. It was humble, v. 42. It was definite. He prayed for rain, Jas. -5:18. It was full of expectant faith, v. 43. It was perse vering, v. 43. It was abundantly an swered,v. 45. Elijah saw the answer in the small >loud like a man’s hand He had the inward assurance before he had the outward evidence. Where are the men of like passions as he who can pray as he prayed? There are thousands of men with like passions but where are the men of like praying? “ He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth.” To your knees, O church of the Jiving God! Let us pray, SATURDAY, January 21. Psalm 42: 1 - 11 . God’s use. of the individual. Suppose Elijah had only used ten stones in building the altar, I Kings 18: 31, instead of twelve, would the fire have come down? We must have breadth and length as well as height. We must be four-square for God. An individual mav b e . used of God to change the destiny of a nation. Eli jah did nothing save by prayer. In His conflict with the false prophets He makes the issue to determine the true God as one to be made by prayer. Is there a God? Is the Bible His true and living Word? Is Christ the Son of God? Was He virgin-born? Did He really rise from the dead? Is He com ing again? Ilow often in these days are these questions raised? An appeal for prayer is their only settlement. The trouble is not :n God but in our pray ing. Where are the Elijahs of the church today? SUNDAY, January 22. I Kings 19:1- 15. Elijah’s flight and return. It is almost incredible that a man
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who could meet and conquer, single handed, four hundred priests of Baal, phould flee dismayed and panic-stricken on account of the threat of an angry woman. Had Elijah only held his ground, he might have saved his nation from dispersion and captivity. The seven thousand secret disciples would doubt less have come out into the open and ■•'eclared themselves, and Baal might have been displaced forever by Jehovah. Bible saints seem to break down in their strongest attribute. Abraham was the father of the faithful but his faith broke down when he went to Egypt. Moses was the/meekest of men but he lost Canaan by speaking unad visedly with his lips. John was the apostle of love yet in a moment of in tolerance he would call down fire from heaven. Elijah seemed a super-man yet he showed himself indeed to be of like passions, with ourselves. MONDAY, January 23. Jonah 4:1-11. How are the mighty fallen! Elijah under the juniper tree needs our sympathy and pity. Those who blame and censure him may have a for est of juniper trees in their own past life. His strength had been strained to the breaking point and the reaction came. God did not scold him. He fed him and refreshed him. Elijah looked away from God to circumstances. In this respect he was like Peter in later times who walked upon the water with all success' while he kept his eye 3 upon the Master. When he saw the wind boisterous he began to sink. Eli jah even prayed that he might die, “ O Lord, it is enough; take away my life for I am no better than my fathers.” We have great reason for thanking God for unanswered prayer. If the prophet’s prayer had been answered he would have missed 'the unique experience of going to heaven alive in a chariot of fire. TUESDAY January 24. Psalm 63:1-11. Loving kindness better than life. Elijah’s collapse was disastrous. It brought discouragement to those in Is rael who were hoping for better things and brought discredit to the cause of God. The love and mercy of God how ever followed him as he fled over the hills of Samaria and at the Divine com mand an angel twice prepared a meal upon the desert sand for his refresh ment. There was neither word of re proach nor threat of dismissal. It re minds us of that early morning meal
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