A PROCESS OF COURAGE: PUT THINGS IN ORDER

• DAY 268
• FAITH FILE: ELIJAH
• SCRIPTURES: I KINGS 18:20-40

And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood,

1 Kings 18:33

Over the past few days, we have been looking into the process of courage as observed by Elijah on Mount Carmel. We’ve talked about the importance of timing, constant fellowship with God, and a memorial. If you missed it, click here to catch up.

As important as the above principles are in the process, the order of the process is super important. There is a way things are supposed to be done; there is a progression. One thing should come before another like a procession. When things are not done the way they are supposed to we expose ourselves to failure or anxiety.

Dis Order

Think of it in various areas of life. In relationships, for example, until marriage happens things like sex, cohabitation, and children should not happen. No matter how “woke” our society gets a mix-up of that order leads to issues. A majority of broken marriages, abandoned children, relationship anxiety, abuse, broken homes, traumatized children, and even mental breakdowns are caused by a disregard of the order. A quick Google search will reveal the statistics that will amaze you beyond words.

If you look at this process you will see that it has followed a progression. In our text today Elijah is standing in front of a fixed altar with a bull for sacrifice and we read that he cut it up and placed the wood in order. Why is this little detail significant? Because there was a way burnt offerings were supposed to be done and this process was included in the laws of Moses. Yet, even before Moses this order was observed. 

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
-Genesis 22:9-10

He shall kill the bull before the LORD; and the priests,… And he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire. 
-Leviticus 1:5-8

This thing Elijah did that seemed so insignificant caused the lives of 2 priests in Leviticus. The order mattered to God, the process, and the outcome of the sacrifice. Had he missed it, he would have either died or failed, Mount Carmel would have become a cautionary tale and Israel would have continued in drought and rebellion.

His Order

See how significant a little thing can be? Yet we overlook the little things that stir up courage and faith in our hearts. In the process of courage is order. We cannot live lives of faith if we decide to disregard God’s order and set up ours. The order for a believer is God first and everything is next but we disregard that order and set ourselves first, is it any wonder nothing works? We ought to acknowledge God in ALL our ways but we disregard that order and end up with an avoidable loss and start to blame God. Imagine what would have happened if Adam and Eve obeyed God’s order and left that tree alone. 

Beloved, our Father is orderly. He desires that “all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) and people of faith honor that. Courageous people are not afraid to live by His order because they know that HIS order is THE order. How about you take a moment and ask the Father to help you set your life and heart in His order? In Jesus’ name. Amen

Shalom