Human Nature

What was different about Elijah? What set him apart? Special training? “Super human” abilities? Unusual gifts?

In fact, Elijah is described as a man “with a nature like ours.” He was not a “superstar” or a “superhero.” He wasn’t perfect. He was a human being with very typical human flaws.

What made him different? The difference noted by James was that “he prayed earnestly.” This sounds like his prayers had a particular intensity. But the Greek here gives us a somewhat different perspective.

In fact, James used two related, but almost identical words, both essentially meaning “prayer” or “to pray.” A more accurate translation would be that Elijah “prayed with prayer.”

This is less about the “earnestness” of the prayer and more about the fact that Elijah simply prayed. He didn’t just think about the challenges he faced. He didn’t just fill his mind with speculation and curiosity. He didn’t hesitate. No. He turned to God and “prayed with prayer.”

This is a critical perspective for us. We are reminded that none of us is perfect. But we can unleash God’s power through prayer. This means having faith. It means believing in God and the power of prayer. As we look at the challenges of life, we are not to sit back and do nothing or just think nice thoughts. We actually are to pray earnestly, even about things that seem impossible to us.