A Bible story based on 1 Kings 18:1,41-46
“I don’t see anything yet!” Elijah’s servant stopped to catch his breath. He had run back to check the sky over the sea three times already.
Elijah nodded, put his head between his knees, and started praying again. He knew God wanted it to rain—God had told him so. For a long time, Elijah had been trying to prove to wicked King Ahab that Jehovah was the One True God. Elijah had been working as God’s partner by bringing messages to the evil king. Three years before, God had sent drought on the land through Elijah’s word. All the rain stopped. The crops died, the rivers dried up, and the people and animals suffered terribly. Now, King Ahab was doing everything he could to find grass to keep his horses and other animals alive. But it wasn’t going very well.
God was working miracles through Elijah, trying to get King Ahab’s attention. But Ahab was stubborn and rebellious. He hadn’t listened when it stopped raining. So God told Elijah to find Ahab and tell him that rain was on the way. Maybe Ahab would listen if he saw another miracle.
Elijah had found Ahab just as he had been told. “Listen, Ahab!” Elijah taunted, “I hear the sound of heavy rain!”
Ahab had squinted up at the bright blue sky andlaughed. Elijah was crazy! There wasn’t a cloud to be seen. It looked just like it had yesterday, and the day before that. For three years there hadn’t been a drop.
“I’m going home to have my supper,” Ahab had called over his shoulder. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
So now here was Elijah—on top of a mountain with his servant—praying hard and checking for clouds. God said it was going to rain, and Elijah was determined to pray until it did!“
What about now?” Elijah asked, sending his servant once again to check the sky.
“Still nothing,” his servant replied doubtfully. “Are you sure God is going to send rain? Are you sure your prayers work?”
“I’m sure . . . just watch!” Again, Elijah bent down to pray. Again and again, he sent his servant to check for clouds—five times, six times. Finally, after checking seven times, his servant yelled to him excitedly. “I think I see something! Yes! Look, a tiny cloud no bigger than a man’s hand is in the sky!” “Hurry,” Elijah said. “Run to Ahab and tell him that he had better hitch up his chariot and get going before the rain comes!”
As Elijah’s servant ran to Ahab with the message, the sky grew black, the winds came, and the rain began to pour. “Thank You, God!” Elijah exclaimed. “I knew You wanted it to rain, and I knew You wanted me to keep praying for it because You’re a God whoanswers prayer, and prayer works! Now You’ve done Your will, and the whole world—especially King Ahab—knows that You are the One True God!
Article excerpted from "PrayKids: 100% Chance of Rain" by Sandra Higley, © 2003. Used by permission of NavPress, www.navpress.com. All rights reserved.
