I’ve climbed over a few fences. Some of them were particularly high and unwelcoming. Fences are not made to be “on” but “apart from.” They divide, separate, mark. Sitting on one is generally an uncomfortable experience.
In this Message version, Elijah challenges the people lost in worshipping false gods: “How long are you going to “sit on the fence? Make up your minds. Either worship your pagan gods or worship the God of Israel, but stop being ‘in between.'”
God is challenging us today in the same way. He again is saying through this scripture: “Get off the fence!” Our culture is like Ahab’s corrupt government: it offers us all these false gods to worship: T.V. shows, music and media filled with obscene language, promiscuity, adultery, and exploitation. Choose that as your god, but choose! Our culture offers work, career, status, possessions as consolation and peace. Choose those as your god, but choose! Our culture offers science and learning devoid of moral responsibility, and devoid of a Creator. Choose that as your god, but choose! Maybe most pernicious is that our culture offers exhausting, numbing busyness as a source of “importance.” Choose that as your god, but choose!
Playing at “belief” is very painful–like sitting on a fence. Is today your time to choose?
The Daily Peanut 