What does Elijah's command to "Go and look" teach about faith in action? Setting the Scene “After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: ‘Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the surface of the land.’ ” (1 Kings 18:1) Israel is parched after years of drought. God has promised rain, but the sky is cloudless. Elijah climbs Mount Carmel, bows in prayer, then turns to his servant: “Then he said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look toward the sea.’ So he went up and looked and said, ‘There is nothing.’ Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ ” (1 Kings 18:43) The Command: “Go and Look” Elijah does not tell his servant merely to wait—he sends him to scan the horizon. This simple, repeated instruction provides a vivid picture of faith that moves. What Faith in Action Looks Like • Confidence in God’s Spoken Promise – God had already said, “I will send rain” (1 Kings 18:1). – Elijah’s command rests on God’s word, not on visible evidence. – Hebrews 11:1 reminds us: “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” • Obedient Steps Before Results Appear – The servant goes though the sky is blank. – James 2:17: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” – True faith expresses itself in concrete action, even when nothing seems to be happening. • Persistence That Refuses to Quit – “Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’” – Elijah believes God will answer; he proves it by sending the servant again and again. – Luke 18:1–8 (parable of the persistent widow) echoes this call to unrelenting trust. • Partnership Between Prayer and Movement – Elijah prays; the servant moves. – Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Watchfulness implies looking for God’s answer while praying for it. • Expectation of God’s Timing – The servant must return with “nothing” six times before the small cloud appears. – 2 Peter 3:9 assures that the Lord “is not slow in keeping His promise.” – Faith waits without wavering, trusting God’s perfect schedule. Echoes in the New Testament • Jesus to the ten lepers: “Go, show yourselves to the priests” (Luke 17:14). They were healed while going. • Peter stepping onto the water at Jesus’ word (Matthew 14:28–29). • The blind man told, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (John 9:7). Sight followed obedience. Practical Takeaways Today • Anchor every expectation in God’s revealed Word. • Act on biblical truth even when circumstances disagree. • Keep obeying until God’s answer breaks the horizon—perhaps as small as “a cloud the size of a man’s hand” (1 Kings 18:44). • Combine fervent prayer with deliberate steps that align with what you’re praying for. • Trust the Lord’s timing; delayed visible results are not denied answers. Just as Elijah’s servant finally saw that tiny cloud swell into a downpour, believers today are called to obey the simple directive: “Go and look.” Faith moves, watches, and waits—confident that God always keeps His word. |
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