February 8 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

Elijah's name is his mission: "My God is the LORD." Elijah teaches us the meaning of repentance by the removal of idolatry. Unless we obey the Word, God's blessings don't descend. Instead, the land will experience a terrible drought.

Bible Reading:

1 Kings 18:16–21

Bible Text:

"How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).

Devotional:

Israel is gathered on the mountain plateau. Here the people wiII decide who is God and whom they wiII serve.

Standing before the assembly, Elijah shouts his pointed question: How long wiII you "halt between two opinions" or "waver between two opinions" or, in still another translation, "How long do you mean to wobble first on one leg then on the other?"

Spiritually, the people are crippled. They are forever vaciIIating. They waver between God and Baal, but they give their full allegiance to neither side.

In religion and in love the choice is never this one and that one, but either this one or that one. Without full commitment, one cannot have a happy marriage. And without a single-minded devotion, one cannot have religious peace and joy. In relationships we rob ourselves of happiness by being double-minded. Commitment is always one hundred percent. We cheat our spouses if we think we can look around while we're married. And we insult the Lord who wants all or nothing.

Many people in the church of Christ are like the Israelites in Elijah's day. They try to stay out of the claws of the devil without placing themselves fully into the hands of God. It's time they choose: If the dollar is lord, go after it, day and night. But if Jesus is Lord, give him your all.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.