Forty Days of Prayer: Day 31

1 Kings 18: 37-38

"Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil, and also licked up all the water in the trench."

I love this part in Elijah's story. It is a dramatic display of faith and belief in the one true God by one man standing alone. Elijah just wanted the people to see God work. He was sent to not conform but confront. God accomplished amazing miracles through Elijah as we are reading in today's verses. All that happened in Elijah's life began with the same miracle that is available to us- he responded to the miracle of being able to know God. Because of this relationship and his knowledge of God, Elijah was able to take the bold step forward and ask God do something in a public way to benefit others. And as Kit points out, "So God moved".

This is a good time in our 40 day journey to ask ourselves how our prayer time going? Do we feel like we are getting to know the Lord in a deeper more intimate way? Are we feeling like asking really bold prayers is an okay thing to do or are we playing it safe? Kit says safe prayers lead to a powerless life. If this is a true statement, then what is in our way to prevent us from praying boldly. This is a question I am asking each one of us to ponder today. Remember the people in the Bible are really no different from us. Elijah was one of those people . Why would God answer his prayers and not answer ours ?

it's true that God speaks more frequently in persistent whispers than in shouts like we see in this story. That fact doesn't mean those whispers or your prayers are any less significant. As Kit suggests today, please share with this group or someone else, one of your impossible prayers. These prayers really aren't about us at all. They are about the power of God and what He chooses to do . Elijah's cry to the Lord was for Him to move so the people would see and believe. That is the point in us sharing our prayer. Ask God to show you which prayer to share and with whom. Ask Him to do something mighty to turn unbelief into belief. The last line in the book today says, "Call on God to show up and get out of the way".

This works ladies, I've done it . Several years ago I laid out my request to the Lord to bring me one man- not several to pick from, just one. I had a list of qualites I asked for in this man that were very specific. I accepted that if this was not the will of the Lord, I would be okay with just Him. My willingness to accept His will happened because I spent time getting to know Him as the One and Only that fills my needs unlike any human can. To fast forward, last January I met that man I prayed for and 4 weeks ago I married him. Once I surrendered myself to the will of God and got out of the way He moved in His way ,in His timing. This is most certainly the condensed version but it's real. I asked specifically and was answered specifically. He knows us and wants us to have our heart's desires down to the details. So let's not fear boldness today. Ask with the faith of Elijah, get out of the way, and watch what He does.

For further reading: Micah 7:7; James 5:16; 1 John 5:14-15

Gracious Father,

Today we ask for the courage to be bold. Please take the fear and any feeling of unworthiness out of us and replace that with the confidence we have in You. Make us bold to share with others so they can see Your power as well.Give us the will to want to get to know you intimately and walk with you in deep relationship daily. Show us how to pray impossible ; if our prayers aren't impossible enough point that out. Let our boldness of faith be a loud testimony You use for others to see and believe. Amen