Immediate Answer!

I was reading the story of Elijah and Ahab today and I noticed something I had never thought about. It was the part where Elijah challenges Ahab's prophets to a duel: 400 prophets danced for fire to rain down on their sacrifice all day verses 1 man of God (Elijah) calling upon the Lord for fire to burn the sacrifice. Something struck me as Elijah prayed to God. God immediately answered Elijah's prayer! God burned up the sacrifice plus the wood plus the water that had been poured upon the whole thing. God exceedingly abundantly answered Elijah's prayer IMMEDIATELY when he asked! If you keep reading that passage, you'll see the very next thing Elijah does is to pray for rain! Due to the overwhelming response of God Elijah had just experienced, I would expect that praying for rain would be just as easy, if not easier, than praying for fire to fall from the sky. That's not the case. Scripture says that Elijah prayed for a while. He sent his servant to look for a rain cloud 7 times! This time Elijah's prayer was not answered immediately! It was the same Elijah praying and the same God he prayed to, yet, God chose not to answer immediately!
Has that ever happened to you? One day you see God move in amazing ways as he answers your prayers and other days you're left waiting wondering if He hears you at all. This is the very place where I have been struggling. This passage reminds me to praise the Lord when He answers my prayers immediately and to remain faithful when my prayers seem to go unanswered.
Think of one of your prayers which seems to have gone unanswered but you're still praying anyway. Remind yourself that the servant was asked to look in the distance for any sign of rain. Seven times he did not see anything, BUT Elijah kept on praying in faith! So keep praying you never know when God will bring your answer to the horizon, "even if it looks as small as a mans hand!" Get up and rejoice! Showers of blessing are just ahead!