We live in a world of strategic and business plans. We set goals, assess our assets, compile our list of obstacles and liabilities and construct plans that will make our boards or shareholders or family or friends or boss happy. We hear the stats that suggest that four out of five new businesses fail in the first five years.

In the showdown at Mount Carmel an epic struggle unfolds between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Everything is on the line. It’s a power encounter second to none. One man against the apostasy of a nation. One resolute prophet boldly defying public opinion by challenging the people to stop wavering between two opinions and either worship God or worship Baal.

It doesn’t make sense. Elijah had successfully eliminated 450 religious opponents. He was king of the hill! Yet threatened by one woman, his faith turns to fear. Admittedly, Jezebel was a heartless, blood thirsty, Baal loving priestess and queen who had the political power and means to kill Elijah. But Elijah had proven himself – triumphing in the terrible intensity of the Mount Carmel conflict.

Even though our dog Katie is deaf and nearly blind, there’s nothing wrong with her sense of smell. Open a jar of peanut butter and she starts panting. We’re well trained! She always gets a spoonful of her favourite snack.

The literal meaning of the word “coveting” is “panting after.”

Ahab was a firsthand witness of the power of God at Mount Carmel and the recipient of God’s mercy after he’d murdered Naboth and his sons. You’d think that would be more than enough for Ahab to devote himself wholly to the Lord. But he didn’t. He surrounded himself with 400 pseudo-prophets and looked to them exclusively for guidance.

Edom (“red”) was the place where Esau fled when his brother Jacob received the birthright in exchange for red soup (Genesis 25:30, 32:3). Family feuds run for generations, and there was continual hostility between the Edomites and the Israelites in the Old Testament.

The country lies immediately to the south of Judah and is sometimes known as “Seir.”

Sometimes life is reduced to the simplest of common denominators.

For instance, there was this day – a long grey day in a long grey week, week six of chemotherapy. The new drug they had said would be easier wasn’t. It knocked me to the ground and stomped on me until every bone ached. I was seriously thinking about cancelling the next dose. I just didn’t think I could do it.