Read
1 Kings 16:29-34; 18:1-6
Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord.)                                                                                                      Verse 18:3 (NIV)

Reflect
Any student of the Old Testament knows that Ahab & Jezebel were wicked people. Here is how 1 Kings 16:30 puts it: “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.” He replayed Jeroboam’s sins, and worse yet, he married Jezebel, whose father was a priest-king of Baal. She reintroduced Baal worship in Israel, and Ahab worshipped this fertility god with its shrine.

In the midst of all this, there was Obadiah, a “devout believer,” in charge of Ahab’s palace. While Jezebel was killing prophets, Obadiah was hiding them in caves. While Ahab, king of a nation of people, worried about how to feed his animals, Obadiah was busy finding food for a hundred of the Lord’s prophets.

Many world leaders are acting as if they are enemies of God and are trying to muscle and bludgeon their way to more power. In our culture too, various business leaders are busy with their empires, buying things and selling people. Profit and power seem to have superseded respect, kindness, and any consideration of serving God and mankind.

At the same time though, a devout believer in the Lord will keep on doing his work. I have seen in the past week a number of people volunteer with kindness, hard work and a godly attitude to help the less fortunate and make their lives more tolerable. I have heard young people discuss how they would assist some seniors to learn how to connect with loved ones on-line. In these troubled days, let’s all be like Obadiah. If just one person can be a positive influence imagine if we all did the same.

Pray
Father, thank you for all the Obadiahs at work in your world. As you hold all things in your hands, help us to use our hands to serve you well. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.