If someone were to ask you if you knew the story of Elijah, what would be your answer? This became an important question for me many years ago after I became a Christian. I was determined to find the answer to the question. I began to read as much I could about Elijah the prophet.
In 2007 I was in Little Rock, Arkansas sitting in the waiting room, of a medical facility. I was reading a book entitled Fire and Rain,The Wild-Hearted Faith Of Elijah. The book was written by Ray Pritchard. I was about half-way through the book at that time and I was enjoying reading it. A young woman sitting in the room began a conversation with me. Her name was Sheila. By her outward appearance and by what she told me I didn’t believe she had a lot in the way of financial resources. She said she was participating in a medical research project in order to get her needed medical treatments paid for. She asked me what I was reading and I told her what the book was about and I explained it to her in more detail. She then said that sounds like a good book and that maybe she would get the book and read it someday.
Well, you know what God’s Spirit was telling me to do. I asked her if she wanted my book and she graciously accepted it. I don’t know what ever happened to her, but I do know that the disease she was fighting was a very serious one. I later bought myself another copy of the book and finished reading it.
So, what is the story of Elijah? Is it about him saying it would not rain and it didn’t for some time? Is it about him asking God to send fire down from heaven to burn an altar? Is it about him feeding the widow and her son in Zarepath, and later reviving him? Is it about God speaking to him at the entrance to a cave in a gentle voice? I believe it is all these things and more.
What can we learn from the story of Elijah? James wrote in chapter 5 starting at verse 16. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” NASB
Ray Pritchard in his book about Elijah, says, “As I ponder his life and legacy, I am reminded of the words of the great American patriot, Edward Everett Hale: I am only one man. But I am one. I cannot do everything. But I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, By the grace of God, I will do.” Ray Pritchard asks us to pray this prayer, “Lord do things I am not used to.”
This is a simple and profound prayer, and it is a radical prayer. Elijah prayed like that. When he had a chance to make a difference he did. He did not worry too much about who was with him and who was against him. He believed that one man plus God was enough. We are living in a time when we are called to do things we are not used to doing. When we are being still and listening to God’s voice and praying like Elijah and studying what God says in the Bible about him, then I believe we can answer the question, do you know the story Elijah?
By Jerry Thompson who is a member at New Hope Christian Church