The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So, Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” – (1 Kings 18:44)

After three years of no rain, Elijah hosts a contest to prove to the Israelites that the Lord is God and they should be worshiping Him instead of Baal.  God wins, of course, and the Israelites are so touched by His awesome power that they recommit themselves to God.  So, Elijah begins to pray, “Okay, God, we’ve repented.  Now You said You would open the heavens and bring rain.”  And Elijah says to his servant, “Go check for a cloud.”  The little servant checks six times with no luck, but Elijah doesn’t give up.  He sends the servant check six times with no luck, but Elijah doesn’t give up.  He sends the servant a seventh time and the servant return saying, “I see a cloud the size of a man’s hand.” That doesn’t sound like a rainstorm to me, but Elijah said, “That’s it!” Then Elijah begins to run to Jezreel before the rains prevent him from doing so.  And the Bible says “the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah” (see v. 46).

The two hands here are very interesting.  Whenever I see connections like this in the Bible, I think it means something.  First, we have a cloud the size of a man’s hand that was seen in the sky.  I believe that was Elijah’s hand on Heaven, which he left there when he prayed.  And then God’s hand came upon Elijah, enabling him to outrun Ahab and his chariots to get out of the rain.  What does all this mean?  This is how I see it:  When we leave our hand on Heaven; and when we leave our hand on Heaven, we get a hand from You.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sacrifice Your Son made for us so that we can pray directly to You.  We see in Your Word that every time we pray, we leave our hand on Heaven; and when we leave our hand on Heaven, we get a hand from You.