What is it that drew you to your current church? What is it that you would say drew the last new members to your church? Some are attracted by the charisma of the preacher, some by the friendliness of the people, and yet some who tend to move with the beat of the music, might be attracted by the awesome praise and worship music. Meditate with me on the Scriptures as we look into what drew the Israelites back to God in their encounter with Elijah. Perhaps this might show us how to pray for the worship services of our own respective churches.

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-11-08
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

BY: Ed Algreen 

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 18:36-37
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: Elijah (praying): Eternal One—God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—reveal Yourself on this day as Israel’s God. Make it known that I serve You and have done all this because You commanded it of me. 37 Answer me, Eternal One. Reveal Yourself so that everyone here will know that You, Eternal One, are the True God—the only God. Do it so that everyone knows You are turning the gaze of their hearts back to You again.

APPLICATION: Your pastor may be a deeply committed man of God, but one who easily draw the congregation to himself by the mighty works that may occur while occupying your pulpit. It may not be the intent of that good pastor, but we become attached to those that we admire, and those who may have been preaching when God touched our heart. I believe that many pastors try to make it clear that it’s God who moves inside of you and that they are just your pastor through whom God may be accomplishing His good work. Many miracles had come to pass through Elijah. God used him in a very powerful way. Through the Scripture, it seems apparent to me that Elijah tried very hard to escape popularity. And in his prayer mentioned in today’s Scripture he found himself asking God to please convince the people that the power and the miraculous things that occurred, all came from the powerful hand of the God in whom Elijah trusted. I believe the reason that God drew my attention in this story today about Elijah is that, in our current day churches, we find it easy and necessary to pray about finances, about new facilities, about an exciting music ministry, and any number of other things that will help us look legitimate in ministry to our community. But do we pray often enough like Elijah: Please Lord, draw the people of this community to this place of worship today so that they will be encouraged by our congregation, touched by Your Word, and their hearts melted by You in hopes that they will be drawn from their hardened hearts of sin, to a new life fully trusting in the wonderful name of Jesus. As they look on the workers, may they see mere messengers of God, but may they prefer seeking the wonderful face of Jesus, the only One who could save them from their sin and ready them for the Kingdom of God. Having retired from a secular job, I found that customers might appreciate my efforts to help them accomplish their needs, but they always lifted up and praised the owner of the business who did everything possible to offer his business to a community who needed it. And so it is with the church, pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday School teachers, youth and worship ministers as they all strive for the same thing – to promote the creator and owner of all life present, and yet to come. To make it into heaven, we must know Jesus and have a relationship with him. No matter how good our relationship is with the pastor or any of the above-mentioned leaders, that does nothing for our salvation. However, it is very important for the lost to see Jesus in each of their lives. I had a pastor who pasted a note on his pulpit that would remind him every time that he spoke from that sacred desk. The note read: ‘Oh that they might see Jesus’. Please remember to join me in praying that the lost will have a growing desire to meet Jesus, and that when they arrive to worship with us, they will not be disappointed. I believe that in them feeling like they are around people of God, they will sooner meet the One whom we worship, and come to believe in Him for all eternity.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: On the next Lord’s Day, please reveal Yourself so that everyone will know that You, Eternal One, are the True God—the only God. Do it so that everyone knows You are turning the gaze of their hearts back to You again.

PRAYER: Lord, we are here to grow Your Kingdom, not our own. Please help us to stay humble and never forget who deserves the praise for all that has been done, and continues to be done, for us. People still need the Lord. Please help us Lord to not get in the way of that. May Your church be a place where the lost will come to find You, not more of the same self-promoting ideas that they see in the world. May our physical beings disappear, so the lost will only see the hands, feet and actions of the Savior of this world. AMEN!