1 Kings 18:41-46: a reflection

41Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. 43He said to his servant, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, then said, “There is nothing.” He said, “Go again” seven times. 44On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’” 45In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46The LORD’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

After the contest on Mount Carmel, Elijah tells Ahab that rain is coming, and then he sets himself to pray for it. He bows to the ground, his face between his knees, and prays; and he sends his servant to look toward the sea. There is nothing. He sends him again, and again, seven times in all, praying and looking, before at last the servant reports a small cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, rising from the sea. Elijah persisted in prayer through six empty reports, and the answer, when it came, began very small.

Notice two things: Elijah's persistence, and the small beginning of the answer. He did not pray once and give up when the first look showed nothing; he prayed and sent to look again, and again, seven times, persisting through empty report after empty report. And when the answer came, it came small, a cloud like a man's hand, not yet the great rain. Elijah persisted through the emptiness before the answer, and recognized the answer in its small beginning. His persistence did not give up before the answer came; and his faith saw the answer even in a small cloud.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can give up in prayer before the answer comes, or miss the answer in its small beginnings. When we pray and see nothing at first, we can give up, concluding no answer will come; or when the answer begins small, we can fail to recognize it. But Elijah persisted through six empty looks, and saw the answer in a cloud like a man's hand. When you pray and see nothing at first, do not give up as though no answer will come; persist, as Elijah persisted through seven looks, before the rain came. And do not despise the small beginnings of an answer; the great rain began as a cloud like a man's hand. Persist in prayer without giving up before the answer comes, and watch for its small beginnings, as Elijah prayed and looked seven times, and saw the coming rain in a small cloud, rather than giving up in the emptiness or missing the answer in its small first sign.

Lord, after the contest on Mount Carmel, Elijah told Ahab that rain was coming, and then set himself to pray for it. He bowed to the ground, his face between his knees, and prayed; and he sent his servant to look toward the sea. There was nothing. He sent him again, and again, seven times in all, praying and looking, before at last the servant reported a small cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, rising from the sea. Elijah persisted through six empty reports, and the answer, when it came, began very small. Show me two things: Elijah's persistence, and the small beginning of the answer. He did not pray once and give up when the first look showed nothing; he prayed and sent to look again, seven times, persisting through empty report after empty report. And when the answer came, it came small. His persistence did not give up before the answer came; and his faith saw the answer even in a small cloud. Take that to my heart, for I can give up in prayer before the answer comes, or miss the answer in its small beginnings. When I pray and see nothing at first, I can give up, concluding no answer will come; or when the answer begins small, I can fail to recognize it. But Elijah persisted through six empty looks, and saw the answer in a cloud like a man's hand. When I pray and see nothing at first, keep me from giving up as though no answer will come; help me persist, as Elijah did. And keep me from despising the small beginnings of an answer, Lord; help me persist in prayer without giving up, and watch for its small beginnings.