「以利亞是與我們性情相同的人。」－雅各書5:17
以利亞在羅騰樹下向神訴苦的模樣－他的不信和疑惑，他的埋怨和惱怒－不正是我們真實的寫照嗎？
但是當他和神「接上線」的時候，情況就大大的不同了。
他雖然是「與我們性情相同的人」，但是他卻能「禱告再禱告」。在雅各書的希臘文原文，以利亞不僅是「懇切禱告」，而且還是在「禱告裡禱告」；他是個禱告再禱告、禱告再禱告的人。
這就是我們該學的功課：必須持續不間斷的禱告。
讓我們爬上以利亞所爬過的迦密山頂，領悟這個事例中「信心」和「眼見」兩個比喻的不同。（參讀列王紀上18章）
那時，需要從天傾下的是大雨；這位曾經命令火自天而降的人，也能同樣的降下大雨。
他屈身在地，外袍將他全身遮蓋，他的臉伏在兩膝之中；這個動作表明了他拒絕了外在一切的聲響和景象，使自己的聽覺和視覺失去效能，而能專一的面見他的神。
以利亞對僕人說：「你上去觀看。」他回來後，只簡單的說了一句：「什麼也沒有！」到了這時，換作是我們，會如何呢？我們也許會說：「我早料到了！」然後放棄禱告。
但以利亞不是這樣，他對僕人說：「你再去觀看。」僕人再次回來報告說：「什麼也沒有！」「你再去。」「什麼也沒有！」
這樣來來去去重複了七次，終於僕人說：「有如人手那麼大的一小片雲。」以利亞舉手的禱告果然帶來了傾盆大雨；這時，縱然亞哈的馬再快，也快不過雷雨的傾瞬而至。
這就是「信心」和「眼見」的比喻：信心將自己和神同囚於一室；眼見則跑來跑去，來回不歇的觀望，卻總是一再的鍛羽而歸；信心不停止的「禱告再禱告」，眼見卻帶不回盼望的音訊。
你知道如何經歷所向披靡的禱告嗎？你只要全然不理會眼見帶來毫無希望的消息。
要知道永活的神正坐在天上，即使祂遲延了我們的禱告，那也是出於祂的美意。－皮爾森
"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are" (James 5:17).Thank God for that! He got under a juniper tree, as you and I have often done; he complained and murmured, as we have often done; was unbelieving, as we have often been. But that was not the case when he really got into touch with God. Though "a man subject to like passions as we are," "he prayed praying." It is sublime in the original--not "earnestly," but "he prayed in prayer." He kept on praying. What is the lesson here? You must keep praying.
Come up on the top of Carmel, and see that remarkable parable of Faith and Sight. It was not the descent of the fire that now was necessary, but the descent of the flood; and the man that can command the fire can command the flood by the same means and methods. We are told that he bowed himself to the ground with his face between his knees; that is, shutting out all sights and sounds. He was putting himself in a position where, beneath his mantle, he could neither see nor hear what was going forward.
He said to his servant, "Go and take an observation." He went and came back, and said--how sublimely brief! one word--"Nothing!"
What do we do under such circumstances?
We say, "It is just as I expected!" and we give up praying. Did Elijah? No, he said, "Go again." His servant again came back and said, "Nothing!" "Go again." "Nothing!"
By and by he came back, and said, "There is a little cloud like a man's hand." A man's hand had been raised in supplication, and presently down came the rain; and Ahab had not time to get back to the gate of Samaria with all his fast steeds. This is a parable of Faith and Sight--faith shutting itself up with God; sight taking observations and seeing nothing; faith going right on, and "praying in prayer," with utterly hopeless reports from sight.
Do you know how to pray that way, how to pray prevailingly? Let sight give as discouraging reports as it may, but pay no attention to these. The living God is still in the heavens and even to delay is part of His goodness.
--Arthur T. Pierson
