Have you seen a toddler, child, teen-agers or even adults “acting out” their frustrations, trying to get attention and demand their own way?

For the 450 prophets of Baal, they were wanting to get the attention of the god they worshiped.
They were crying out with loud voices, leaping about an altar on which a sacrificial bull lay on wood, waiting for fire to burn the offering to Baal.  1 Kings 18:26

No voice answered them, There was no response to start the fire under their sacrifice.
Nothing… from morning until noon.

Elijah, the prophet of God, watched all this… for hours.  He openly mocked them.  “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”  1 Kings 18:27

Then the prophets began cutting themselves, drawing blood and became more frantic.  They continued to rant and rave.  Still… nothing!  No one paid attention to them.  1 Kings 18:28-29

Everything they tried did not work, it was futile.  They were worshiping a god made by themselves.  Their god did not think, speak, hear, see or act.  It could not for it was not the living God.

Elijah’s turn was coming.  The prophet of the only living God will show God’s power and might.  (See devotionals later this week.)

“There is none like You, O LORD;
You are great, and great is Your name in might.”
(NASB) Jeremiah 10:6

“But the LORD is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth quakes,
And the nations cannot endure His indignation.”
(NASB) Jeremiah 10:10
 
~ Take it to heart ~

Futile worship is worshiping anything which is not the living God.  He alone is God.

Who or what do you worship?