Praying for Rain

     Most of us are familiar with the story of Elijah and Mount Carmel. Something pretty spectacular happened on that mountain. God showed up and Baal did not. Of course, we as Christians knew that Baal would not show up…he’s not real. He was merely a god made by man. What is truly interesting is why the people of Israel and Elijah were even on Mount Carmel in the first place. Not so much as to the why all of the others were. (Yes, it is important but not the highlight at this particular moment.) They thought Elijah was about to pray for rain to return since the last time they had seen him. It was then that he had announced: “As the LORD God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” (I Kings 17:1 CSB). And you know what? There wasn’t. No rain for any purpose or for any person. No rain at all. Zilch, nothing, zero. Not even a mist!!  

     As human beings, we have experienced a drought before. I can’t recall one lasting for three and a half years like in the day of Elijah (James 5:17). That had to be hard for their very existence. We’ve had times when we were told to conserve our water usage. (Or maybe that was just from my momma as we were growing up?) I don’t remember ever being afraid of our water supply running out. Every time we turned on a water faucet we received the results expected...water! However, in Elijah’s day that particular fear was real. That need was quickly drying up. 

     Although I may not quite understand the need the Israelites had concerning rain and the need for water, I certainly understand feeling a personal drought. I imagine most people do. My soul has felt that before. I even imagined tumble-weeds rolling past me just like they did in the old west when they needed rain. You know those old movies. Right smack in the middle of town tumble-weeds would roll right on past them as they walked those dry dirty streets. Their clothes had to be filled with dusty dirt. Yep, I have felt that before. I was so desperate for spiritual rain. Little did I know that it was more than just God’s rain I needed. I likened His rain to His power. It is but it is more than that. It wasn’t so much His rain, His power, that I needed…it was God Himself. I needed His Holy Spirit so desperately to rain down on me. (You know what I mean?) His power was certainly a benefit to His very presence. I knew that I needed Him. Oh I wanted Him too but I needed Him because I wanted Him. (Does that make sense?) 

     The great thing about that is that God wanted me to want Him first. It would be then that He could satisfy my need for Him. It would be then that the rain would come…a good soaking rain at that! 

"In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour."

1 Kings 18:45a CSB

In awe of Him,

Vonda