December 20: Courage to Confront the Crowd

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Sharon Campbell-Danvers 


Scripture Focus
“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
1 Kings 18:21 KJV

As we come to the end of another year, imagine Elijah standing before us, eyes steady, voice unshaken, asking a question no one wants to answer.
How long?

How long will you hesitate?
How long will you delay obedience?
How long will you stand undecided while claiming faith?

Elijah was not speaking to unbelievers. He was addressing God’s people. People who knew the name of the Lord, who had seen His power, and yet had grown comfortable living in the middle. Not fully rejecting God, but not fully following Him either.

This is where many of us find ourselves. We are close enough to the river to feel the mist, but far enough to stay dry. We stand on the bank watching others step into the flow, convincing ourselves that proximity is the same as participation. It is not.

Standing on the bank feels safe. The water looks unpredictable. The current looks strong. But the bank is a place of stagnation. Nothing grows there. No miracles happen there. The river is where movement happens, where faith is tested, where transformation begins.

Elijah’s question confronts our comfort. God is not asking for divided loyalty or delayed surrender. He is not impressed by spiritual hesitation disguised as wisdom. If the Lord is God, then follow Him. Fully. Publicly. Without reservation.

The silence of the people in 1 Kings 18 is telling. They answered him not a word. When truth exposes our indecision, silence often follows. But God does not leave us at the bank forever. His mercy keeps asking the question again and again. How long?

As this year closes, this is not a time for reflection alone. It is a time for decision. The next season will require more than intention. It will require commitment. Faith that remains on the bank cannot carry you into what God is preparing.

The courage to confront the crowd begins with the courage to confront ourselves. To admit where we have hesitated. To acknowledge where we have settled for partial obedience. To step forward even when it costs us comfort, approval, or familiarity.

The river is moving. God is calling. The question still stands.

How long?

Reflection Questions

  1. Where have I been standing on the bank instead of stepping into obedience?

  2. What fear or comfort has kept me undecided?

  3. What would full surrender look like in this next season?

Prayer

Lord, search my heart and reveal where I have hesitated. Forgive me for standing on the bank when You have called me into the river. Give me the courage to choose You fully, without compromise or delay. As I step into a new season, help me to follow You with obedience, faith, and bold devotion. In Jesus’ name, amen.


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