Blogathon2012- #6 - The Rain Is Coming!

It has been an amazing day. Full of sunshine, inside and out. I thank God for this small mercy.


We made it back to the camp for the worship service and the opening verse caught my 'ear' as it follows the theme of what God has been speaking. "And Elijah said, "the rain is coming!""

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In other words, I need to prepare for the answer, for the promise to come. In googling the verse I came upon this study on Elijah's prayer and why I need to persist:

The basis for Elijah’s actions was, of course, the promise God made to him in 18:1. But why pray? God had said, “rain is coming.” In Matthew 6:32, warning the disciples against wrong priorities and being anxious over the details of life, the Lord said, “for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” If He knows and He cares and He has promised to meet all our need according to His riches in glory, then why pray? I believe the answer lies in two very simple principles of the Word.

(1) Prayer is the human tool of faith that God has sovereignly chosen to translate His promises into performance. God not only ordains the end, i.e., the rain, but He also ordains the means of making the promise a reality, prayer. The second principle flows out of the first.

(2) Prayer is also one of the means God uses to draw us to Himself and to conform us to His will. Prayer reveals our dependence on the Lord and keeps us dependent and occupied with Him. This not only glorifies the Lord, but it promotes spiritual growth in us as it builds our faith and keeps us focused on Him.

Right after the Lord said, “for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things,” he also said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Then, in the next chapter He said, “Keep on asking . . .” (Matt. 7:7). The Christian life is a life of faith and occupation with the Lord, a life of trusting and developing a relationship and commitment to God. Prayer is the hand of faith that reaches out and grasps the promises of God. It is one of the instruments God uses to mold us into His image and purposes.

Are you preparing for the rain? Let us claim what He has promised. You, me, together(: