Word on the Web

15 Jan 2010: Enduring the perplexity of God: 1 Kings 17:17-24

You may want a prophetic ministry: here you see one. People are often described as having a prophetic ministry – what that often means is that they are really good at chewing out [telling off] the Lord’s people. Sometimes that’s the tone that that can take. But if you want a prophetic ministry, you’ve got one here. Elijah simply pleads with Yahweh in prayer; that’s the God-appointed means of grace for our difficulties. Remember James 5:13:? ‘Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.’ No matter what circumstances you’re in, you’re called to respond to God. If you’re suffering, you pray; if you’re happy and cheerful, you sing praise to God who gives you the cheerfulness and the happiness. As Calvin says of that text, ‘There is no time in which God does not invite us to himself.’ Whatever our circumstances are, God is trying to suck our attention and our worship toward him. Are we suffering? We pray. Are we cheerful? We praise.’


To read the full text of this talk by Dale Ralph Davis please see ‘Faith that Works’ – Keswick Year Book 2009, and if you would like to purchase a copy please click here.