Have you ever felt completely unprepared for something? I remember a time in Nashville when I found myself in exactly that situation. There I was, freezing cold, standing outside a REI store with my family when I accidentally locked our rental car - with our daughter Izzy still inside, asleep in her car seat. And the keys? Yeah, they were in there too.

Have you ever noticed how life's biggest challenges often come right after our greatest moments? That's exactly what happened to Jesus. Picture this: He's just been baptized, the heavens opened up, and God's voice boomed from above declaring "This is my beloved Son." Talk about a spiritual high! But then, plot twist - the Spirit leads Him straight into the wilderness.

Elijah has run for his life. He has just slayed the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where God revealed himself consuming Elijah’s sacrifice with fire from heaven, proving Himself to be the one true God in a confrontation against the prophets of Baal (You can find it in last week’s blog). However, Queen Jezebel, enraged by the defeat of her prophets, vows to kill Elijah, forcing him to flee into the wilderness.

In the midst of a wild drought, God sends His prophet Elijah to Zarephath, to a widow who is preparing to die in a small town outside of Israel’s borders.This is a bit weird, God.

When King Solomon ascended to the throne, he faced the daunting task of leading a nation chosen by God. He was young and inexperienced, but he had the opportunity to ask God for anything.

The story of Elijah’s bust-up with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is one of the most dramatic stories in Scripture. It’s got action, humor and suspense. Yet amongst all the theatrics it is a lesson in God’s unrivaled power and a call to unwavering faith in Him and His power to save. The story forces us to examine the idols in our own lives and to place our trust fully in the living God - who you’ll never find sleeping on the job.