Wednesday - The Letter of James (James 5:16-18)

Welcome to Daily Prayer. Today we reflect on the example of Elijah and the call to faith-filled

and persistent prayer.

As we enter prayer now, let's pause to be still, take a few deep breaths.

Every breath is a gift.

In you we live and move and have our being.

We acknowledge that you are the Lord our God. We

humble ourselves before you.

We draw near by the invitation and through the work of your dear Son,

our Lord Jesus.

Give us faith eyes and a hungry heart.

Holy Spirit, inspire us to see and act on the wisdom of your Word.

A Scripture reading from James 5:16-17:

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."

A prayer of adoration:

Lord, we praise you that you're the God that sends fire and rain.

Thank you for the example of Elijah. You sent him to turn the hearts of your people back to you.

He was a righteous man in the midst of a divided people.

We praise you for always preserving a group to be faithful to your name and to call your people

back to yourself.

Lord, thank you for keeping your promises. You told your people if they refused to turn to you,

there would be drought and famine. And if they turned back to you, you would send the rain.

Thank you for not leaving us to ourselves, but rescuing us through your appointed representatives.

A prayer of confession:

Lord, the famines and difficulties in our lives have exposed our divided and anxious hearts.

Your Word tells us if we're suffering or in trouble to pray, that in our famines we have turned to

other things to meet our needs.

We have built altars that were not for you.

We confess that we have been faithless and prayerless.

We have not called on your name and we repent.

We have looked for provision in other places.

Forgive us, Lord.

A prayer of intercession:

Lord, we want to see you provide what you've promised. Don't allow us to be passive in the midst of

waiting.

You are the only one that can send the rain.

We want to see people turn to you and declare, "The Lord, He is God. The Lord,

He is God."

Teach us to ask and keep on asking. Three times, seven times. However many times you want us to

seek and keep on seeking, to knock and keep on knocking. Do what you need to do in us and give us

an undivided heart.

Expose what needs to be exposed so that we'll be single-minded and wholehearted.

Show yourself, Lord. Send fire so that our hearts will turn back to you.

We want to see the gifts and fruit of your spirit abounding in our community. Would you send the

rain, Lord?

We want to see the name of Jesus exalted in our community. So we ask that you would turn hearts

back to you. Lord, send the fire and send the rain

a moment of reflection:

Lord, is there someone or something in my life that you want me to persistently bring to you in

prayer until you send the rain?

Let's listen to the passage again:

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."

Now our verse to memorize and embrace together as God's people.

Lord, let it be known that you are the Lord and we are your people. Keep us from dishonoring your Name with a faithless, divided heart. You are worthy of all of our trust and all of our love.

Let it be known in our community that you are great and good.

Let it be known that you hear the prayers of your people.

You are after our hearts, and we give you our hearts today.

In the name of Jesus,

amen.