“Waiting Expectantly”
Even if you aren’t very familiar with the story of Elijah the prophet, your mind may recall a showdown with fire and false gods from the Old Testament. Elijah was sent by God to King Ahab to confront him. King Ahab was married to the evil queen, Jezebel and together they lead the nation in worshiping Baal, a god representing pleasure, power, and personal gain.
1 Kings 18 tells us about Elijah being challenged by Ahab to prove his God is more powerful than Baal. After an impressive approach that involved water all over the sacrifice to be burned and some smack talk from Elijah, God answers Elijah’s request and sends fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice. The followers of Baal and King Ahab are left stunned as they witness God’s mightiness strike right before their eyes.
The Bible is filled with extraordinary events such as this that show God’s mightiness, and while it may be hard to relate to such dramatic occurrences with Elijah, it’s not hard to relate to Elijah’s emotions in the aftermath…
After Elijah fulfilled God’s assignment and experienced such a direct response from Him with the fire from Heaven, he had another mountain to climb in life.
See, after Elijah requested fire to prove his point to Ahab, he then had to request rain to stop the severe drought in the land and this request didn’t come as quickly. Verse 42 says Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and placed his face between his knees as he waited expectantly for the Lord to answer with rain.
Think about the position he took…. he’s just experienced an amazing moment, a ‘no doubt it was God’ answered prayer and we find him on his knees with his face in the palms of his hands awaiting another victory from the Lord. Can you relate to this? Has your faith ever been so strong you prayed expectantly for the Lord to deliver? Your faith was so strong you felt it in your bones that He would answer, but you also hear a faint whisper, ‘what if He doesn’t?’…. The Bible says Elijah sent a servant to look across the sea for a rain cloud not once, not twice, but seven times! The 7th time, the servant reported a rain cloud approaching.
I love Elijah’s approach and posture as he waited out those seven times. Have you ever found yourself on your knees in prayer? Maybe it wasn’t intentional, but the plea for Him to answer brought you to a point of surrender. That posture is an incredibly humbling experience. Elijah didn’t know when God would send the rain, but he knew God was with Him and for Him, so he waited, expectantly for God’s timing.
Are you waiting for God to answer? Perhaps you have experienced monumental moments with Him and know He will deliver in His own creative way, but you are in the season of waiting for it. Consider Elijah’s approach; take a posture of surrender and wait expectantly for Him.
Stay tuned next time for Elijah’s battle with fear and depression. God was and always is creative with relatability from His Word!
