No Limits

1 kings 18:³⁰ “Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down” (emphasis added).

Yesterday, we began to examine the stone – one of the components Elijah used to build an altar to God. In altar building, the stone represents the heart. It is important to note that when God asks for stones to build an altar, even though that was not specified in this scripture, God requires what is called unhewed stones (uncut stones). The instruction is the stones must be uncut. Meaning no tools must have touched the stone. Tools represent the arm of flesh or the work of man. God is saying, come with your heart – as you are.

Do not attempt to first be good before you come. God says when you try to be good before you come, your righteousness is as filthy rags. God says when you come as you are, then He will make you good. God is expanding His Kingdom through us and this is manifesting physically. Even physical land is being expanded to the glory of God. The point is when God looks at that sacrifice (at the altar), will He see your heart? Is your heart knitted with what God is doing?

THE WATER: 1 Kings 18:^32-35 “…Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. …Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.” After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.” (emphasis added). The water and the number of times it was poured has its significance, and everything points to Christ. Why did the water have to fill the trenches, what is the value of that? Trenches were typically dug around the altar and filled with water to guard against wildfires during sacrifices. The water is meant to contain the spread of the fire.

However, Elijah did not only ask for the trenches to be filled. He instructed them to pour the water on the sacrifice and keep pouring. Interestingly, these people were in a season of drought, water was very scarce. Yet Elijah did not ask for little water just for the trenches. He repeatedly asked for more and more water to be poured on the sacrifice, on the wood, on the altar. Elijah asked that they pour water in places that did not make sense. Was he wasting scarce resources? No! God was showing us that with God, scarcity never determines the sacrifice and the seed.

Prayer: Father, may I never base my sacrifice on my resources. I ask for the grace to be truly sacrificial every time God calls for seed in spite of the times or seasons, in Jesus Name. Amen!