Walk up to the altar and pray.

I Kings 18:36,37 At the customary time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

Elijah walked up to the altar and prayed. I get the feeling that this was a walk of confidence and boldness. Elijah was not impressed by the number of those who opposed him. He was concerned about the skeptics who were hanging around to see what would happen. Elijah was bothered by the fact that the prophets of Baal had been praying to their god all day long to no avail. They had put on quite a show, but Elijah wasn’t impressed or worried that maybe God would not hear and answer his prayer.

Notice that Elijah never questioned his own faith in God.  He knew that God was who He is and that He was his.  He was bent on trying to convince those gathered on Mt. Carmel that God is and that He wanted to be their god.  Elijah was persuaded that God was there, that God was able to silence the voices of those opposed to him, and that God was going to convince the skeptics that he was indeed the Lord God of Israel.

In fact, Elijah had taken measures to make it seemingly difficult for God. He prayed and then prepared the sacrifice in such a way that it would take nothing less than the hand of God to consume it. Elijah knew that God would not leave him hanging. He knew that God would hear and answer his prayer. He knew, because he had walked with God throughout his life and God had never failed him. Time and time again God had made himself known to Elijah, and Elijah knew that this time would be no different.

I wonder about whether or not we have the same kind of confidence Elijah had when we pray. Do we trust in God’s favor upon us? Do we believe in a God who hears and answers the prayers of those who trust in Him and pray according to His will for them? Do you approach God with boldness and confidence when you pray? Do you believe the Lord when he said that if we ask anything in His name according to His will that He will give it to us? If you are living right with God, you know Him well enough to know that He will hear and answer your prayers. You will be able to approach Him with boldness and confidence.

Walk up to the Lord’s altar today and pray.