Devotional: Straddle the Fence:1 Kings18:20-40

“‘He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matt. 12:30, NASB).

You cannot straddle the fence and stand on the ground at the same time. I first hear this expression from my older brother when I am about ten years old. We are in the fields; one on one side of the fence and one on the other side of the fence. I want to get to my brother, but when I climb the fence I become afraid because of the height that I find myself to be. My brother tells me to climb down the other side of the fence so that I can be with him. It’s as if I am frozen in fear to do anything; I am stuck straddling the fence. My brother says to me, Climb down, you can’t just straddle the fence.

Since that event, I often find myself straddling the fence. What does it mean to straddle the fence? It means that you are not taking sides. It means that you are refusing to make a commitment. For Christians this means that we are trying to serve God and serve our own interest at the same time. It means that we are trying to be the friend of God and a friend of the world at the same time. Throughout the bible we have stories in which certain people are straddling the fence.

One story is found in our scripture passage. Elijah is the prophet of God. The Israelites are straddling the fence in that while they serve the Lord they are also serving idols, the Baals. Elijah challenges the people to stop straddling the fence. They must land on Baal’s side of the fence or on the Lord’s side of the fence. “Elijah came near to all the people and said, ‘how long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people did not answer a word” (1 Kgs. 18:21, NASB).

Are you like the people in our story? Are you unwilling and unable to decide between the Lord and the gods of this world. What evidence do you need to make a decision? In the story Elijah issues a challenge to the prophets of Baal. They will call on Baal and Elijah will call on the Lord. The people will see whether it is God or the Baals that answers by fire.

When Jesus walks the earth, He demonstrates that He is the Son of God through miracles and His teaching. We have all the evidence that we need to know that Jesus is the Christ; our Lord and Savior. We do not need to straddle the fence. We can choose to stand on the side of the fence where Jesus is.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we no longer straddle the fence. We are committed to You alone. Amen.