1 Kings 18:43, 44a
‘Go and look toward the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’ Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’
When Tris courted me a decade ago, I asked the Lord for two things to confirm if he’s really the one I’ve been long praying for. He’s a godly man and my feelings then were already inclined to the idea. But with a heartbreaking relationship prior his coming, I was extra mindful hearing God’s yes first before giving mine. First I asked the Lord that my family would approve of him. Tris was able to earn that when he personally sought their permission to pursue me. If you know my dad, you’d say it was a miracle :> Second was to hear it from God’s word. Of course I wasn’t expecting to find his name written there. But God is faithful. He was able to use a proverb to point it to him. God orchestrated a three-month difference between the two confirmations. It was faith stretching to wait for His final go even if my heart’s already way ahead. Praise God for His grace to obey. It wouldn’t have been this beautiful any other way. His pleasure made it so much worth the wait. :>
After the grand battle at Mount Carmel, Elijah had the Baal prophets brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. Then he instructed Ahab to end his fast for heavy rain is next to come. Elijah said he heard the sound of it, but both their eyes saw the clear sky. He climbed back to the mountain and there prayed for rain to come. He knew it was coming. God promised it. But it took seven days for his servant to finally see a small cloud from the sea. Seven days before he instructed Ahab to rush back to Jezreel. I mean why can’t it be just a one time prayer like the last fire from heaven? Or at least knowing exactly how many days before the rain. That would have saved a lot of his praying energy and his servant, a week of weather-watching. And why not wow the public one more time? Immediate rainshowers would sure bring result to much rejoicing in the land. Yup, thanksgiving. But not much faith. One fire did move them to repentance. Seven days and they’d reform their ways. God was bringing them back to a lifestyle of dependence and faith - - to once again call upon His Name and seek His favor. As for Elijah, agree with me that it’s more to God glory to see His prophet more on his knees than performing wonders. That he too needed grace like the rest of us. That he too patiently waited for God’s answers. No one is too spiritual, or special, to be exempt from such disciplines, even testing.
It’s one thing to know God’s will, it’s another to wait for His schedule, for His go signal. He is God, not us. It is always His call. That’s what His Lordship means. We may have good and godly ideas, biblical and mature prayer items, but without His signed confirmations, we’re still on hold. David could have pursued building the Temple. It was for God’s Name and glory. But his project was marked ‘postponed’. Even Jesus submitted to the Father’s timetable in his lifetime and ministry. He did not rush being called the Christ. He submitted to the same spiritual disciplines, even testing. Good deeds without God’s go can never be God-glorifying. So let’s not rush our moving. Let’s not gloom over waiting. He has set everything beautiful in His time. He sees eternity past and future, so that at His appointed present, when He unfolds it finally, we’ll sure agree, ‘It’s all worth the wait’.
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