The Daily Truth: Little Obedience, Big Obedience - Daily Devotions On Elijah
Day 1: Little Obedience, Big Obedience - Daily Devotions On Elijah
Day 1: Little Obedience, Big Obedience
Scripture:
"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities."
— Luke 16:10
Elijah was just as human as we are, and for three and a half years his prayers kept the rain from falling.
— James 5:10
Reflection:
These are the days of Elijah — not because Elijah’s time and ours are exactly the same, but because the spiritual climate is frighteningly similar. In Elijah’s day, people still knew God’s name, but they no longer feared Him. Jehovah had become outdated to them, irrelevant to their modern, enlightened lives. So they replaced Him with gods of their own making — gods crafted in their own image, convenient for their own lifestyles.
Sound familiar?
We live in a "post-Christian," "post-modern" world. Everyone claims the right to their own truth. Believe what you want — just don’t offend me with it. My truth must reign supreme, even if it contradicts yours. Just like Elijah’s day, we live under leaders and cultural powers pushing the enemy’s agenda with boldness and pride. The enemy’s influence is strong and infectious — and those who seek to walk with God, like Elijah, become prime targets of attack.
But Elijah's story carries such hope: he wasn't some superhuman saint. James 5:17 reminds us he was "a man with a nature like ours." Elijah had weaknesses, sins, struggles, and victories — just like you and me. The greatness of Elijah wasn’t found in personal perfection but in simple, gritty obedience.
And obedience, as we see, didn’t start for Elijah the day he stood before King Ahab announcing drought and judgment. No, that public moment was birthed from countless private moments — Elijah listening to God, praying fervently in the secret place. Before the public confrontation came the private communion.
Here’s the kingdom principle:
Faithfulness in the ordinary leads to fruitfulness in the extraordinary.
God doesn’t suddenly call us into big acts of obedience if we haven’t been pursuing Him in the small acts of obedience.
Before Elijah prophesied before kings, he prayed before the King of kings.
Before Elijah stood before men, he knelt before God.
And the same is true for us.
Many of us long for God to use us publicly — in ministry, leadership, influence — but we neglect the hidden place where God trains His warriors. We want to stand on mountains without first conquering the pebbles.
Maybe today God is calling you back to little obedience:
Speaking kindly to that difficult colleague.
Guarding your words from gossip or anger.
Being faithful in your giving, your serving, and your church attendance.
Building a real prayer life — setting aside dedicated time with God, as well as talking to God as you go, in the car, in the supermarket, in the secret places of your heart.
The life God blesses — the life God uses — is the life that listens out for His voice and walks in His ways, little by little, day by day. Not perfectly, but persistently. Not with instant arrival, but with humble pursuit and steady progress.
Remember: no hero of God ever just "bursts onto the scene." Every public victory is built on private faithfulness.
Application
Ask yourself: In what "small" areas of obedience is God calling me to be faithful today?
Pick one area — whether it’s prayer, speech, generosity, time management, relationships — and deliberately listen for God’s voice and walk in obedience today. Write it down. Commit it to prayer.
Prayer Response
Lord God, Thank You that You call ordinary people like me to live extraordinary lives through Your power. Help me to not chase after public victories without first cultivating private faithfulness. Teach me to listen out for Your voice in the small things and walk in Your ways daily. Grow in me a heart of obedience, even when no one is watching.
Let my faithfulness in the secret place prepare me for fruitfulness in the places You will call me to stand.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Sermon Quote:
"Before we can ever be raised up to the public place taking the fight to Ahab, we need to make a life in the secret place — cultivating a communication-based relationship with God."
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Grace and Peace,
Will
Pastor
Ridgeway Community Church, Didcot.