From Max Lucado and his book “Unshakable Hope . . . . . . .God’s Promise. . .When a believing person prays, great things happen. ~~ James 5:16 NVC
I accompanied Denalyn on some errand running recently. We stopped at Office Max so she could buy a calendar. As we walked through the parking lot, I pointed at the sign and said, “Honey, this is my store, Office Max!”
She was unimpressed. I hurried to the front door and held it open. “Come into my store.”
She rolled her eyes. I used to think the rolling of the eyes was a gesture of frustration. After thirty-five years, I now realize it is a symbol of admiration! After all she does it so often.
I continued my posturing as we shopped, thanking her for coming to my store to buy products off my shelves. She just rolled her eyes at me. I used to think the rolling of her eyes was a gesture of frustration. After thirty-fife years I now realize it’s a symbol of admiration.
When we reached the checkout line, I told the clerk my status. I arched my eyebrow and deepened my voice, “Hi, I’m Max.” She smiled and processed the sale. “As in Office Max.”
She looked at me and then at Denalyn, who rolled her eyes again. Such admiration for her husband. I was beginning to blush.
“I am the boss of this place,” I told the clerk. “Really?” She looked at me with no smile. “Why don’t you just take the afternoon off?” “What?” “Take the afternoon off. If people ask tell them that Max of OfficeMax said you could go home. “This time she stopped and looked at me. “Sir, you’ve got the name, but you don’t have the clout.”
She was right about me, but the same cannot be said about you.
If you’ve taken on the name of Christ, you have the clout with the most powerful being in the universe. When you speak, God listens. . . . . . Your prayers impact the action of God.
For proof, consider the story of Elijah. He lived eight centuries prior to the birth of Jesus. The Northern Kingdom had twenty kings, each one of whom was evil. The evilest of the monarchs was Ahab. His life is described in this sad summary: “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on my Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel” (1 Kings 21:25-26). This was as dark a time as we ever read about in the history of Israel. The leaders were corrupt, the hearts of the people were cold. But comets are most visible against a black sky. And in the midst of a black sky, a fiery comet by the name of Elijah appeared.
Elijah’s attack was calibrated. Baal was the fertility god of the pagans, the god to whom they looked for rain and fertile fields. Elijah called for a showdown: the true God of Israel against the false god of the pagans. How could Elijah be so confident of the impending drought? Because he had prayed.
Nine centuries later the prayers of Elijah were used as a model. “When a believing person prays, great things happen. Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years! Then Elijah prayed and rain came down from the sky, and the land produced crops again,” (James 5:16-18 NCV).
James was impressed that a prayer of such power came from a person so common. “Elijah was a human being, even as we are” (James 5:17), but his prayers were heard because he prayed, not eloquently, but earnestly. This was not a casual or a comfortable prayer, but a radical prayer. “Do what ever it takes, Lord, Elijah begged, “even if that means no water.”
So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before all the people and said, “How long will ye waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ But the people said nothing (1 Kings 18:20-21. Elijah put the 450 prophets of Baal and the Israelites in a position of posture. How long are you going to waver between opinions? The word translated waver is the exact Hebrew word used later for “danced” (v.26). How long we you going to do this dance? You dance with God and then Baal. How long will this continue?
What happens next is one of the greatest stories in the Bible. Elijah told the 450 prophets of Baal: “You take a bull; I’ll take a bull. You build an alter. I’ll build an alter. You ask your God to send fire. I’ll ask my God to send fire. The God who answers by fire is the true God.” The prophets of Baal agreed and went first.
At noon, Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is God! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (v.27)
(Elijah would have flunked a course in diplomacy.) Though the prophets of Baal cut themselves and raved all afternoon, nothing happened. Finally Elijah took his turn. He poured four jugs of water (remember, this was a time of drought) over the alter three times. Then he prayed.
Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, our God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. (vv.36-37)
Note How Quickly God Answered: Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God!” (vv. 38-39)
No request for fire was made. Just the heart of the prophet was revealed, and pow! The alter was ablaze. God delighted in hearing Elijah’s prayer. God delights in hearing yours as well.
But why? Why would our prayers matter? We can’t even get the plumber to call us back, so why would God listen to our ideas? Simple. Your prayers matter to God because you matter to God. You aren’t just anybody; as we saw in the last chapter, you are his child.
I have a friend who owns a successful business. He employs more than five hundred people in a dozen states. He appreciates each and every one of them. Yet he treats three of them with partiality. They are his sons. While he hears all requests, he especially hears theirs. They are being trained to run the family business.
So are you. When God saved you, he enlisted you. He gave you not only forgiveness for your past but also authority in the present a role in the future.
This life is on-the-job training for eternity. God is preparing you to reign with him in heaven. “If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12). We shall “reign on earth” (Rev. 5:10). We are part of God’s family.~~~ Max Lucado, Unshakable Hope (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2018) p.49-53
(Posts with a preamble asterisk (*) are for a more general audience. . . . not specific to teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
