How long will you waiver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him (1 Kings 18:21)
SHE PACED THE ROOM, stopping often to peer beyond the gym doors. Eventually she approached me and declared, “I need to get out of here!”
“It’s after midnight—we can’t leave the church building! We’re supposed to remain inside!” I replied.
“Well, I can’t stay here,” she said as she grabbed my arm.
Hesitantly, I followed my friend to her car and slid into the passenger’s seat. For a while we drove in silence. Finally, she confessed, “I’m not sure I want to commit to God. I don’t know that I can follow what He asks me to do.”
Indecisiveness is not a new phenomenon. The struggle has been around for centuries. Even the Israelites wrestled with the same issue. They couldn’t make up their mind whom they wanted to follow—God or Baal. And when Elijah confronted King Ahab and Jezebel’s prophets, no one said a word. Were they silent because Elijah’s statement made them uncomfortable? Were they waiting on someone else to speak up first? Were they examining their loyalty to the pagan gods, or were they evaluating the cost of switching sides?
While others’ opinions may influence our choices, we alone must decide whom to follow. We cannot sort of follow God. Even remaining silent expresses our decision. There are two choices in this world—to follow or not to follow. Which one will it be?
Even when others choose the opposite way, remain strong in your position to follow God.
Jill Printzenhoff is a science teacher and avid reader. She enjoys kayaking, fishing, bike riding, hiking, and vacationing with her husband and their two daughters.
