A Man Just Like Me

"Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly
that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the
earth began to yield its crops."

I've read this verse many times, and each time I read that he was mortal - not a supernatural being, not divine (obviously) - just a man. Now maybe the following will seem obvious to you, but today it was life to me.

Elijah was depressed - he ran from ministry and gave up on life. I've definitely had my moments where I wanted to give up on ministry - moments where I've been depressed and given up on life. And in those moments, I've heard the whisper of a serpent telling me that God can no longer use me - that in my moments of weakness I forfeited all the ground I gained. That whisper is tricky to fight - my humanity does seem like such a setback at times. If only I could abandon those wretched feelings that hold me down and live always by faith - live life by the Spirit! But I am human - and that fact isn't about to change any time soon.

And so here's the wonderful truth of my Monday night: Elijah was not just as mortal as I am - he was as human as I am.

I want to pray like Elijah prayed and see my prayers be effective - to see the miraculous in my everyday life. And if God made me human, then He must have a plan to use me - not in spite of my humanity, but inside of my humanity.

One of the most influential prophets of the Old Testament - a man who met with Jesus atop a mountain - who raised the dead - who healed the sick - who prayed effective prayers - was a man...just like me.