A Prayer For God To Prove Himself

At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

1 Kings 18:36-37

At the time of Elijah’s prayer, Israel was being overrun by the worship of Baal. So Elijah set up a showdown between the Lord and Baal to see who would set fire to their sacrifice. The priests cried out to Baal and even cut themselves, but there was no response. Then came Elijah’s turn. After drenching his sacrifice with gallons of water, he asked God to light the sacrifice, so that the Israelites would repent of their ways. God answered Elijah’s prayer by sending fire down from heaven, consuming the entire altar.

We may never find ourselves in a showdown quite like Elijah’s, but there are still times when we want God to show himself unmistakably to people. Ask God to prove himself to them by answering your prayers.

• Dear Lord, please answer me and show these people that you are God . . .