something for nothing
"Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees." —1 Kings 18:42
Elijah prophesied that three-and-a-half years of drought would soon end although there was not a cloud in the sky (1 Kgs 18:41ff). He told his servant seven times to look for a cloud. "Seven" possibly refers to an indefinite number of times. Time after time, the servant reported: "There is nothing" (1 Kgs 18:43). Finally, the servant sighted a very small cloud with little possibility of rain. However, immediately "the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell" (1 Kgs 18:45).
This pattern is very common in our life with the Lord. Like Elijah and his servant, we watch and pray, and pray and watch, but see nothing again and again. We wonder if God is even there. We think: "Why pray?" Finally, we see something which is so small it isn't much different than nothing. Nonetheless, the Lord amazes us again by using a little something to make a big difference.
Where in your life are you praying for something and seeing nothing? Persevere, a small cloud is rising in the west.
Prayer: Father, give me faith to move mountains (Mt 17:20) and clouds.
Promise: "I tell you, unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God." —Mt 5:20
Praise: Dealing with a difficult situation with a family member, Rhonda has learned to look for the little things as signs of God working.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape I Believe in Miracles on audio AV 63-3 or video V-63.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 29, 2009
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