prays to God, asking Him to make Himself knowns so that the people‘s heartswill turn back to Him. Fire from God burns the sacrifice. Baal‘s prophets areseized and slaughtered. Heavy rain starts falling soon after. - P107
But Elijah is not uncontrollably emotional.
Instead, he prepares calmly, builds an altar, arranges the wood, andorders that water be poured on it several times. His prayer is deliberateand carefully worded. The focus is not on himself but on God. Elijah‘sprayer is powerful because God is powerful. - P110
The power of prayer lies inthe one who hears, not in the one who prays. When we pray, we don‘tneed to feel pressure to perform, as though we needed to say the correctwords or formula to get God to respond. Instead, we can focus moreon who it is we are praying to. - P110
that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said.
"Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors. - P112
Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days andforty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain ofGod.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And theword of the LORD came to him: "What are you doinghere, Elijah?" - P113
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORDGod Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your cove-nant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets todeath with the sword. I am the only one left, and nowthey are trying to kill me too.‘ - P113
We humans are fickle creatures, subject to feeling supremely confidentone day and hopeless the next. - P114
But "Elijah was a human being,
even as we are" (James 5:17). Paul knew this as well: "If you thinkare standing firm, be careful that you don‘t fall! No temptation hasovertaken you except what is common to mankind" (1 Cor. 10:12-13).
- P114
When you feel frustrated with your struggles or are tempted to doubtthat God still eares, remember that God does not change like youremotions do. Faith transcends feelings, and God‘s promises remain trueeven when your hope is weak. - P114
God meets us where we are, even when we feel farthest away from Him.
He gives us what we need, even when we have no way of providing forourselves. - P114
Elijah feels dejected and hopeless. He had served God faith-fully, doing all he could to obey, and now he feels abandoned. His pow-erful prayers of faith are now grumbling prayers of resignation. But Goddoes not abandon him. He provides all that Elijah needs. - P114
When we feellike our attempts to follow God faithfully just make life harder for us,
we can remember God‘s faithfulness to His people. "If we are faithless,
he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself" (2 Tim. 2:13)deny - P114
But throughout hismany years of searching and wild living, his mother, Monica, nevergave up hope. She persisted in prayer, praying through tears that Godwould show Augustine the error of his ways. - P115
"Take up and read! Take up and read!" that grabbed his attention.
Picking up a Bible, he read the words of Romans 13:13-14. Godmoved him to repent and turn to Him. His mother‘s prayers wereanswered. Our persistent prayers are never in vain. God is alwaysworking, soy awob moj nen - P115
When I feel that You are far away and my hope is weak, help me rememberthat You are near. All the praise, honor, and glory belong to You. In Jesus‘
name, amen. - P115
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