January 13 Petition Mission

“Elijah…prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (Jas 5:17-18).

Water doesn’t usually gush from the well on the first move of the pump handle. Vance Havner writes: “Elijah lives in confidence that there will be rain at the proper time. He is in contrition, his head between his knees. He uses common sense, bidding his servant look toward the sea where the cloud would be most likely to arise. He is not disappointed with the first report, but sends the servant back seven times in patient continuance. Most of us give up and go down the Carmel of prayer when the first report shows no sign of rain! Naaman must wash seven times. The child of the Shunammite, whom Elisha restored, sneezed seven times. Jesus bids us forgive a brother seven times a day if he so offend us.

We need to learn the lesson of God’s sevens.” When we see that Elijah “prayed again,” it could have read that he sought the answer to his prayer again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and…