“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, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” (1 Kings 18:36-37)
It would take a long time for me to describe just how I learned to pray. Beginning with my parents, I have been blessed with many prayer mentors. Along with those who modeled a life of prayer, I have learned from the prayers that are included in the Bible. The book we know as 1 Kings is a tough read. It is filled some disastrous biographies of leadership gone wrong. But in the midst of these troublesome epitaphs is a potent prayer. It is powerful, not just because it resulted in fire from heaven, but because of the rich content. It is a prayer that is rich in testimony. It is a testimony of the true identity of God Almighty and a desire to restore His renown among His people. Elijah begins with a strong reminder of the One he addresses. It is a proclamation of the greatness of God. Not a bad way to begin prayer. You might recall that Jesus started out with a declaration that the Father's name is "hallowed". Though the prayer is brief, Elijah does not end without expressing his desire to see hearts turn in the proper direction. Even a quick read through 1 Kings reveals how the testimony of God's people had become tainted. It is a sober reminder that when our testimony is tainted, we rob those who around us of the message that God has entrusted us to share. And that should drive us to pray.
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