brought the rain

What image comes to mind when you hear the phrase “powerful prayer”? A fiery saint shouting out impassioned pleas? Mountains trembling at the words of God’s people?

What about an exhausted figure crouched on the ground with his head between his knees, like a small child, asking again and again for God to end the drought across hot, dusty Israel?

It’s not the classic pose of a champion; certainly not one who had literally just seen God rain down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel. The prophet Elijah looked anything but powerful and assured in that moment. He looked weak, weary and empty.

Yet centuries later, James would write words of Scripture describing this very prayer as “powerful and effective”. Because powerful prayers are not prayed by powerful people. Powerful prayers are prayed by weak people to the all-powerful God.

Elijah couldn’t make it rain, any more than you can control the outcomes of your situations. So he came to the Lord, weak as he was, to depend on Him alone.

Your prayers are powerful—every word of them—because of the One you pray to. Come, weak as you are, and put all your confidence in Him.

PRAYER: 2 Kings 19:14-19

ANSWER: 2 Kings 19:20-37