I hope you’re starting to get a sense of God’s plan from this. It’s the best of the best, the best place you can possibly imagine, better than anything that could be promised to you by human beings. And all it takes for the Kingdom of God to start spreading rapidly, for the kingdom of God to start breaking into this world and growing exponentially, is for YOU to decide to live into it, for you to decide to do what Paul did and focus on God more than anything else.
Then came Elijah’s turn – God’s turn. Elijah prepared an altar and placed wood and meat on it, and Elijah prayed to God, “Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” And sure enough, God answered. God answered and made it clear once and for all who the Israelites should worship. Pretty awesome moment, right?
So, please, don’t follow the example of Rehoboam and Jeroboam, don’t follow the example of what went wrong. Don’t metaphorically continue to make scrambled eggs with corn syrup instead of oil once you know that it’s a bad idea. Instead, follow the example of what God tells us time and again will go right – focusing on God and God’s desires over everything else.
I wonder, have you had the kind of amazing moments I have described? I wonder, have you had the kind of amazing moments the Israelites had? I wonder, do you WANT to have those kinds of moments – those moments in which you feel like dancing….and singing…and playing instruments…and praising God with all you’ve got? Do you want to have those kinds of moments?