December 16
Day 16 | Elijah
Scripture: 1 Kings 18:15-39
The people of Israel had forgotten to worship God. Instead, they were worshiping a false god named Baal. God sent His prophet Elijah to remind the people about the one true God, but the people didn’t want to listen to Elijah.
So Elijah showed the people God’s power. He prepared a sacrifice, and the prophets of Baal prepared a sacrifice. The prophets of Baal prayed that their god would send fire to burn the sacrifice, but of course, nothing happened. When Elijah prayed, God sent fire. The Israelites had forgotten God until God showed them His power and might.
God still does miracles today, but we need to remember and trust God even if we don’t see miracles. Our God is a great God; we need to praise Him at all times.
Talk About:
• What do you know of God’s power and might?
• What are some things we can do to praise God?
Prayer: We praise You, powerful God, for all that You are and do for us.
Age-Focused Discussion
Preschool
• Who was the prophet we talked about today?
• What was his job as a prophet?
• What were God’s people doing wrong?
• Who is the only one we should worship?
Elementary
• Why do you think the people had forgotten about God?
• What do you think God wanted the people to learn from this miracle?
• What does this story show us about the difference between false gods and the one true God?
Middle and High School
• What are some “false gods” or distractions people might worship today instead of God?
• What is one thing you can do this week to put God first and not let other things take His place in your heart?
Gospel Conversation
There are times when we forget who God is, too. We may not worship Baal, but we can still put other things before God, like money, friends, success, or our phones. We are reminded through Elijah’s story that only God deserves our worship because only He has real power. Just like God sent fire to show His power, He later sent something even greater, Jesus. He sent Jesus to show His love. On the cross, Jesus showed the world that He alone can save, forgive, and bring us back to God.