05/14/20 PRAY LIKE ELIJAH — One morning decades ago one of our young sons came to me, “Dad, I’ve been reading about that prophet Elijah (in 1st and 2nd Kings). I really like that guy! Is there anywhere else in the Bible I can read more about him?” I turned to James 5:17-18 (CSB) and read it to him: “Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.” My son said, “WOW! Gosh, Dad, compared to Elijah MOST OF US probably BORE GOD TO DEATH WITH OUR PRAYERS!” “From the mouths of babes” as the old saying goes.

          For the next few weeks, as he and I prayed together, he prayed something like this: “God, help me to do those things You expect me to do. Some things are too hard for me; help me to tell my Dad and let him help me. And my Dad says some things are impossible even for him. He says that’s Your specialty; please take care of those things for me.”

          Somehow, after awhile, he and I abandoned that pattern. What a shame! Don’t YOU want to PLEASE God with YOUR Prayers? I know I do.