Thoughts for the Day

Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.’ So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look towards the sea.’ He went up and looked, and said, ‘There is nothing.’ Then he said, ‘Go again seven times.’ At the seventh time he said, ‘Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.’ Then he said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”’ In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was heavy rain. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. But the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

After Elijah's appeal to Yahweh to "let it be known that you are God" by sending down fire to burn the sacrifice, and then the people's acceptance of God rather than Baal, we get the prophet instructing king Ahab to break his fast, for the three year drought that God had sent in His displeasure at the King's actions, had now ceased. Life was getting back to normal, the rains would shortly come. Except Elijah seems to have been so concerned about the sacrifice of the bull which would prove that Yahweh, and not Baal, was God, that he hadn't actually checked in with God that the rains would arrive.

So now we see the prophet hurrying off to Mount Carmel's highest peak to speak with Yahweh. He bows himself to the ground before God in total humility, and asks God to send the rain. Look at the lovely piece of drama that is played out as Elijah instructs his servant to go and look for the rain clouds. At first there is nothing on the horizon. Six times the man looks and there is nothing. Elijah appeals to God again, and it's only on the seven visit that a tiny cloud appears. But it's enough for Elijah to know the dark storm clouds will shortly appear. Immediately he sends his servant to warn the king to get off the mountain and into his chariot for the rain is coming, and will turn the ground to mud. But Ahab is not quick enough and when the rain descends his chariot presumably gets stuck, so Elijah covers the 18 mile journey too Jezreel ahead of the king.

Elijah's faith never wavers, but neither does he take things for granted, continuing in prayer, confident that God will respond. All too often we give up on our praying and do not persist! We need to remember that God's plans can sometimes have other time-scales than our own.

Lord Jesus Christ,
keeps us ever faithful in prayer
for You have taught us to be persistent.
When we feel we receive no answers
may we pray even harder.
Keep us ever watchful for answers
for sometimes they come unexpectedly.
Amen.