2009 – Day 172.June 22 – The Big Leagues

2009 – Day 172.June 22 – The Big Leagues

Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 18: 41 – 46 … Linked for study …

My Journal for Today: You know, it’s pretty easy to read or study this passage Swindoll has had me look at for these last two days and get the impression that Elijah was some sort of superman of the faith. After all he stared down and executed 450 prophets of Baal. He had the faith to know that God was bringing rain again when he saw one little cloud. And somehow he was able to run faster than a chariot quite a distance (some commentaries say it was miles). Wow! What a guy! How could I be like an Elijah?

But fortunately from God’s word – His absolute truth – we also have a New Testament account which recounts this portion in the life of Elijah and puts it into proper perspective. James, the brother of Jesus, in the book by his authorship (see James 5: 16b – 18) does not picture Elijah as anyone other than the man he was. It says, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours…” And in those words we can come to the realization, thousands of years after Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab, we can pray to the same God to Whom Elijah prayed; and we can know that God loves our humility just as much as he loved the humble nature of His prophet. We can know that Elijah put on his tunic the same way we put on our clothes every day – covering the body of a sinner who was surrendered to his God. And as we read in 1st Kings, reinforced by the book of James, we can see that God can use any man (or woman) for His will and purpose as long as that one, like Elijah, is surrendered and humble before the Lord.

As Swindoll writes, ”No wonder Elijah is the kind of man we admire. Isn’t it exciting to know we serve the same God he served? Isn’t it thrilling to think we can trust the same God he trusted? … And what kind of God is that? He’s the God who makes promises and keeps them?”

I hope that anyone who’s reading me write this is as convicted and uplifted by that truth as am I. So, what is going on in your life right now to prevent you from going to the same God who brought the rains defeating drought for Elijah; … the same God who turned water into wine for Jesus; … the same God who raised His Son from the dead? My dear one, we’re in the big leagues of prayer. We can go to God’s throne of grace today and seek help or guidance or even victory over some fear-striking event in our life; but like Elijah we’ve got to look for the clouds on the horizon; and we’ve got to believe – and yes, I mean really BELIEVE - that the rains are on the way.

My Prayer for Today: I believe, Lord. Amen