We spent our 2nd anniversary in Israel and on the first day we trekked to Mount Carmel.
Mount Carmel is where Elijah proved our God over the prophets of Baal. And it was the last time God spoke directly to the Jews, before using only prophets.
For those of you who aren’t seminary scholars like myself; here is the moral of the story:
Elijah was obedient, stood up to an evil ruler and steered the nation of Israel away from idols. Basically Elijah showed great wisdom and strength during a time when most people would give in because it’s easier and well “everybody was doing it.”
We were awestruck by the beauty and history surrounding us on that mountain. The backdrop will forever serve as a visual aid whenever I dive into the word. The stories and scripture literally come off the pages.
Michael and I didn’t have children at the time of this trip, but we fell in love with the name. It’s hard not to hear “Elijah” and associate the beauty we saw and emotions we felt standing and learning more on that mountain.
We found ourselves pregnant a few months after we went to Israel. Our list of boy names was short, I mean honestly nonexistent. But Elijah aka “Eli” was on the list.
Fast forward to January of this year and we found out we were pregnant for the 3rd time. And then found out it was a boy. We went back to the drawing board and Eli kept coming back up. It was around 31 weeks, I looked at Michael and pretty much said “WE HAVE TO NAME THIS CHILD.”
We had two favorite names and one night after we exhausted ourselves in conversation (and a littttle bit of prayer) something pretty cool happened the next morning. I woke up and had an email from my She Reads Truth daily devo. I don’t always read them, but the theme for the reading of that day? Elijah. Yep. Can’t make it up.
I figured I’d go ahead and insert the devo here:
“Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 18:1-46, Proverbs 20:22
You’re probably familiar with Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” which ends with these infamous lines: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference” (18–20).
It’s a work I’ve always loved, but I also have a few follow-up questions for Mr. Frost, like “Would you still feel the same way if the path less traveled had ended in a ditch?” and “If you’d gotten lost, wouldn’t you wish you’d taken the one more traveled by?”
I don’t know the answers to either question, but I do know that decision-making is hard. For every road not taken, there’s a path we regret choosing, or a journey we still long to take. And it’s mostly because, like Frost says, our choices really do make all the difference. (No pressure, right?)
As they gathered at Mount Carmel, Elijah asked the people of Israel to make a choice between God and Baal: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).
Let’s take a step back here for a moment and remind ourselves that we have the unique privilege of holding the Old and New Testaments together as the true story of redemption. The Israelites did not. So while it may be tempting to focus on Elijah’s obedience or the Baal prophets’ doubt, there’s a much larger story at play here.
First, God gives us what we need to trust in Him. The Israelites didn’t need more research, proof, or signs; God had provided a means of knowing Him, and they just had to believe. Although, as decision makers, we are indecisive and imperfect, God is steady and perfect. He does not wrestle with or question His own decision making. He stays true to His character, and He is always on the side of both justice and love.
Things get a little intense in the test between God and Baal, but when Baal’s people call his name only to receive no response, it’s clear that God is the one true God. He answers not only with a display of power, but with an invitation for His people to return to Him. He is always calling His children back home. And regardless of whether we choose the path less or frequently traveled, we can rest assured we will not be choosing alone.”
I mean not to take it out of context, but I will for a second. I read “How long will you waver between two names?” Ha! Kidding.
Seriously though, I kept coming back to the concept of how God used an ordinary man (like you and me) to do extraordinary things.
I also kept coming back to the word “obedience.”
And I feel like this past year we heavily relied on strength through faith and obedience. I get really emotional thinking of how we lost our baby in September and we will be welcoming our son, Eli, this September.
My prayer for our son (Frankie, too) is that he always takes the road less traveled, even when no one else is beside him. I hope wherever he travels, it is with his head held high and knows he is equipped to do great things. Because in him is a God who will never forsaken him, just like Elijah.
We can’t wait to meet you little Eli.
