Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Yes, Elijah was a human being. There is no indication in scripture that Elijah was anything more than a man. And yet he was called to be a prophet of God. He listened to God’s words and did what God wanted him to do.
Perhaps more important than whether he was human or not, was his righteousness. He obeyed God even at the risk of his own life.
The interesting thing I see about Elijah is that there is no difference between what Elijah wanted and what God wanted. Elijah prayed in harmony with God’s will. It is as if they were singing a duet together in close harmony. Elijah’s prayer was God’s will.
As we look at Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the same thing. In Matthew 26: 39-44 we read about Jesus when he prays to God the Father about his coming crucifixion.
”My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26: 39b)
Yet not as I will, but as you will. This, I think, is the essence of a godly person. It is the heart of righteousness. It is the reason that the rain stopped when Elijah prayed. The same thing held true when he prayed for rain.
In the days when Moses led Israel, the Israelites rebelled many times. The problem was that they thought they were rebelling against Moses when, in fact, they were rebelling against God. (Perhaps the most dramatic of these rebellions was the one known as Korah’s rebellion. The story is told in Numbers, chapter 16.)
When we discussed prayer yesterday in the comments, we noted that it is not the power of prayer itself that is effective. Instead, it is the power of God who answers prayer. Korah and his companions only saw Moses when they challenged him. Like those of us who credit prayer with power, Korah thought it was Moses who had power because of his position as leader. If only he could be the leader then he would have that power, too.
Wrong.
Righteousness is only possible if we acknowledge God. To acknowledge God is to acknowledge that he is greater than we are.
Application: Follow God’s lead. Harmonize with His will.
Food for Thought: How do we know what to pray for?
One way is to pray Scripture in its context. Scripture reveals God’s clear will. As I pray through Scripture I can know I am praying according to His will. For example, Jesus taught us to pray to the Father “hallowed be Your name.” If I pray that God’s name is seen as holy and revered through my life, that is in His will. He is holy and I should see that and it should change how I live. Others should see Him as holy through my life. If we pray His will then we are praying prayers that please Him.
Thank you, Rich!
That is a great insight! The Word is a window into the mind of God. The closer we conform to His Word, the more closely we align ourselves with his will.
How do we know what to pray for?
Years ago I was studying 1 Thessalonians and was amazed at Pauls prayer life. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
WITHOUT CEASING! Asking forgiveness, praising, petitioning for others, questioning, reviewing everything laid on his heart with his Lord, our God. Living in Gods Kingdom, in His Holy Spirit. I believe the most cherished time of Pauls prayer time was when he was listening.
My mountain peaks in prayer are when God spoke to my heart, in clarity and simplicity that left no doubt He was God, speaking the truth in a way I could not deny, or object to His words.
To respond to your question, I believe we should go to God in prayer as a child freely goes to their parent, and spend time quietly listening to God.
Ron,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on prayer. I especially like your summation; that we should approach God as a child. Not all children are known for listening, but I don’t think God minds listening if we want to talk. On the other hand, as you point out, when we do listen we are rewarded with treasures from our Father in heaven.
🙏👍🏻