Hope beyond a drop in the Ocean

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.

From Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 1 through 3.

Even in a highly charged post modern society, with lots of models of success or so called success out there, the personal feelings can be what I am doing amounts to just about a drop in the ocean.

There is the compensation at times of luxury, entertainment, literature and all those good things out there, but it is not the best feeling if you feel ineffective towards the wider world.

These verses from Isaiah depict scenes where people had been walking in the distance, but a new light dawned for them through the goodness of the Lord that enlarged their territory, and increased their true joy.

The Galilee of Nations mentioned in verse one is symbolic, of people or individuals whom the Lord has taken beyond the doom and gloom and into the places of increased hope and rejoicing and indeed effectiveness.

For them at first the " way of the sea" seemed far to surpassing and far to daunting to where they could have any effect or influence or participation.

They were like those who might stand by the great oceans and be able to contemplate its vastness but at the same time feel that anything they could do or attempt to do, would amount to just about a drop in the ocean.

But these words clearly show that the Lord can take us beyond that in those places of dawning light and increasing joy found in a place where what I might do in the spiritual realms is much greater than a drop in the ocean.

An example of a praying person being in this place is Elijah.

James Chapter 5 verse 17 and 18 using the NIV version of the bible says:

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

This picture of effective prayer, is given as an example as it says, " even as we are" meaning that there is also the call to the possibility of effective prayer by others who are only human and at first glance have influence that is about as effective as a drop in the ocean.

It says in these verses from James, about the results of the prayers of Elijah, "and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Elijah was a big time prophet of the Lord, but it might have been that he got discouraged at times and was on the side of things where he felt his efforts were just a drop in the ocean.

In the case of his praying for rain and for the rain to stop, when he saw the answer so widespread and so immediate and so effective, it must have been the subject of rejoicing for him in that in the domain of prayer, he could pray to great effect, in a sense that in the natural world his prayers had as big as an ocean effect and there were fruitful and productive prayers in that the "earth produced its crops." Indeed, he saw that his prayers were effective and productive.

There was a dawning light to his prayers and he was taken "by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan" in the realms of his own prayers.

Elijah had seen the dawning light of effective prayer.

Ephesians 3.20 says,

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

This verse from Ephesians is often related to prayer but it could include other works for the Kingdom not exclusive of prayer, such as say preaching, ministries to help the poor and things like that

As far as personal prayer, a first look interpretation is that the Lord may give answers that are much greater than I am asking for, and it might refer to material benefits for me or other maybe items of luxury and excitement.

But while this might be the case, this also refers to wider, far reaching efforts of intercessory prayer such as depicted with Elijah's prayer for rain, where the world wide effect of his prayer was probably not imagined by him as he said the prayer.

His power at work within us includes the potentially awesome power of prayer and is not limited to prayer for ourselves only.

At times though the praying person might lack a vision or understanding as to whether his or her prayers have that great effectiveness.

This passage from Ephesians can refer to many aspects including the prayer of healing, prayers for nations, prayers for ongoing conditions all over the earth, prayers for future generations in the distance of time and space from your point of prayer.

But there can be that moment that day, when those giants prayers are suddenly and immediately answered and you know it was you, maybe among others yes, that had that effective reach and got through to the heavens and now you know your prayers can and will be beyond a drop of the ocean and into the dawning light of a new hope that you can be a great intercessor for yourself many others just like Elijah and many others were in the past.