We are constantly being told who to hate and who to love – who to vote for and who to demean – who we should trust and those whom we should not trust. The Church has been called to stand alone with God in culture amidst all the strident voices and listen to God, not to the mocking voices that do not hear His voice and ask us to join in their parade of threatening discord and anarchy.

Hearing God will always run contrary to the most strident and public opinions coming from those who are trying to convince us to join with them. That choice is not a popular or comfortable choice to make when groups of people are shouting their opinion and demanding that we join them or run the risk of being ostracized.

Hearing God and responding appropriately to His voice is always the right choice. Just like it was with Elijah on Mount Carmel when he stood alone with God before those who wanted to silence him

When Elijah stood before Ahab, the husband of Jezebel, he said to Ahab, “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead” (1 Kings 18:18). Elijah made no compromising response. He continued to speak the truth even if it might cost him his life.

After Elijah said those words, an altar was prepared, and the prophets of Baal danced around their altar petitioning their false gods all day long, but nothing happened. Then it was Elijah’s turn. He had his sacrifice soaked three times in water to make its ignition impossible in human terms.

It was now time for God to reveal Himself. The Lord sent fire from Heaven onto Elijah’s offering and burned it up. When the people saw what God had done, they shouted, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” (vs.39). Then all the prophets of Baal were killed.

Standing alone with God is a common theme in Scripture. It has caused people to ignore the threats made against them and simply do what the Lord had commanded.

Standing alone with God is where His miracles are revealed. Those miracles will change people’s hearts and their ways of thinking. It will not happen because we developed enhanced debating skills, or by a retaliatory act of vengeance or retribution.

God will always remain faithful to do what He promised, even when the deck seems to be stacked against our success. We are never alone. God is always standing with those who have acted in obedience to the sound of His voice.