Elijah: A Man Just Like Us - Part 1

James 5v17-18

I love the stories about Elijah in 1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 2. They're so dramatic. They speak of the power of God and the courage of a person who believed in God. Elijah - and other great men and women of the Old Testament - seem like super-heros to us. But James tells us:

James 5v17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. 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.

So Elijah had the same doubts, the same insecurities, the same shyness, the same social awkwardness, the same illnesses, the same complicated, dysfunctional relationships, as you and me. And yet he accomplished great things for God, of which this was the first.

Could you or I pray and the rain not to fall for three and a half years? If we did, would God answer us? Would it be a good thing to do?

God answered Elijah's prayer because God wanted the rain to stop for three and a half years. God acts on the Earth, and he chooses to do so in response to our prayers. But if we pray for something that God knows would be bad for us or for His eternal plans, then of course He doesn't do what we ask.

Some people misunderstand this and ask "so why do we bother praying if God only answers when he wants to?". The answer is that God has set the universe up in such a way that He doesn't act unless we pray. That is: God will refrain from doing what he wants to do for us, until we pray.

Let me put this another way.

God has a storehouse of blessings, spiritual, material, financial, emotional, for His people. And prayer is the key that opens the storehouse. God doesn't give us these gifts if we're not even prepared to ask for them. Similarly, we might ask for something that isn't in the storehouse. And we won't get it.

God answered Elijah's prayer because, at that time, in that geography, with the state of the nation and the state of the monarchy as they were, three and a half years of drought was a blessing. It led in time to the destruction of the evil cult of Baal.

In fact, I'm sure God inspired Elijah to pray what he did, so that God could answer him. And in the same way, more of our prayers get answered if we let God lead us in what we pray for. That's one reason why prayer should include listening as well as speaking.

So why do we need to pray for what God wants to do anyway? Perhaps an analogy will help.

I might write to one of my children, offering to help them practically or financially. I do this because I want to help them. But I'll wait until they respond before I do it. For example, if a child needs to go somewhere and their car doesn't work, I might email them, saying "would you like a lift?" but I won't drive my car to where they are until they email me back. God has explained in the Bible, and God speaks to us in prayer, offering us all kinds of blessing. But He waits for us to ask for them - to acknowledge that we want them - before He gives them to us.

Prayer is the most important thing we do.

I wonder what God wants you to ask for? Next time you pray, ask Him what you should pray about. Then pray for what He's shown you. It might be for you and your loved ones. It might be for the nation. It might be for the weather (as it was for Elijah). Whatever it is, you can pray for it. And God will answer you.