R.I.P. Tillie

2002-2015

Yesterday we had to put our 12 year old black lab to sleep.  She had severe arthritis in her back, was a bit senile, and going deaf.  Her shock collar died, she wandered off Friday evening, and got hit by a car.  Was picked up by someone who saw her get hit.  This Good Samaritan was wonderful.  This is a big dog, she was traumatized and in pain, and she bit the woman (not badly).  I wonder how she even got Tillie into her car.  The next morning she took her to an emergency clinic, who managed to track me down.  Although x-rays showed no breaks, Tillie’s back legs were paralyzed, and with her age and arthritis it was clear there would be no recovery.  I spent a long time sitting in her cage with her and crying, held her head while she went peacefully to sleep, sat there with her body and cried some more.  Sat in the parking lot for a long time trying to pull myself together so I could drive home.  Cried when I called my boss to say I wasn’t coming back to work.  Cried when I drove into the driveway and she wasn’t there to greet me.  Cried when I went to bed last night.  Good grief, I’m crying sitting here writing this.  I cry not out of despair or anger or how hard it was to make the decision.  Just grief.  Saying a final goodbye to an old friend.  We took her for granted most of the time, but we always knew she was outside.  She let us know when someone drove up, she greeted us as we came in or out of the house with a thumping tail wag and a grin on her grizzled doggy face.  Even as she got to where she couldn’t manage the steps she always seemed to be happy.  Now there is an empty bed on the front porch.

God has taught me over the years to find a way to thank Him every day.  I have to admit this has been hard the past year, but the habit has probably preserved my sanity and pulled me out of the depths of depression more often than I realize.  So today I am thanking God.  Here’s my list.

1.       Thank you Lord for the life we lived with Tillie.

2.       Thank you for those puppies born during Hurricane Ivan. 

3.       Thank you that she didn’t hold it against us when we neglected her or took her for granted.

4.       Thank you for the wonderful lady who picked her up Friday night, even after being bitten.

5.       And then took her to the emergency clinic all the way up in town.

6.       Thank you for the vet tech who works there, who used to work for my vet and was able to call him to find me.

7.       Thank you that I was at work and so close to the clinic.

8.       Thank you for the pain meds they could give Tillie.

9.       And for the vet and the techs that took care of her, not knowing if anyone would pay that bill.

10.   Thank you that I got to sit with her and tell her goodbye and be with her at the end.

Goodbye baby girl.  Rest in Peace.

Remember me

 Remember me, Lord.

Remember me as You remembered Noah in the ark; save me out of this evil world.

Remember me as You remembered Abraham and saved Lot in Sodom; save my children.

Remember me as You remembered Rachel in her barrenness; soften my own barren heart.

Remember me as You remembered Israel in Egypt; lead me to heaven as You promised.

Remember me as You remembered Samson; use me in spite of the sin in my life.

Remember me as You remembered Hannah when You gave her Samuel; send me Your prophet.

Remember me as You remembered David; forget my sin.

Remember me as You remembered Israel in exile; forget my unfaithfulness and bring me home to You.

 

O Lord, You never forget Your people.  Remember me.

 

 

©Rebecca A Givens

Be Strong and Let Your Heart Take Courage

Yesterday it occurred to me that bravery and courage don’t feel very brave or courageous.  In fact, they feel exactly like fear.  And sometimes maybe even like schizophrenia… because on one side there is a compulsion to do something, and the other side of you responds with a resounding, “hell no that will kill me”.

Today in my Bible reading I was in Psalm 31.  It ends with:  Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!  Wait, what?  Take courage?  Like the courage I was thinking about yesterday?  I had to go back and read the whole Psalm again.  And break it down so I could understand how David could say with such confidence and power, “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”?

Look at what David says about his own condition below, on the left side: 

enemies have hidden a net for me my affliction distress of my soul my eye is wasted from grief, my soul and body also my life is spent with sorrow my years with sighing my strength fails because of my iniquity my bones waste away I have become a reproach to my neighbors because of my adversaries I am an object of dread to those who see me I have been forgotten I have become like a broken vessel terror on every side they scheme against me, plotting to take my life I am in a besieged city

In You, O Lord, I take refuge let me never be put to shame; In Your righteousness deliver me! Incline Your ear to me rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, Be a strong fortress to save me! For You are my Rock and my Fortress; for Your name’s sake You lead me and guide me; You take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for You are my refuge. into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me O Lord, faithful God. I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in Your steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul, and You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious to me, O Lord, But I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God” My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make Your face shine on Your servant Save me in Your steadfast love. O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon You, Let the wicked be put to shame, Let the lying lips be mute O how abundant is Your Goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men You store them in Your shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city You heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to You for help. Love the Lord all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful.

 

Then look at what he says about God and to God, above on the right side.  I notice something huge and obvious here… namely, that David’s look at his own trouble is not nearly as long as his look at God. 

I notice some not so obvious details too.

It is God’s righteousness, not David’s, which delivers him.  v.1 in Your righteousness deliver me!
David asks God to be his Refuge, then recognizes that God already is.  v.2-5 Be a rock of refuge for me… for You are my rock… You have redeemed me.
It is for the sake of God’s own name that He leads and guides David, not David’s.  v.3 for Your name’s sake You lead me.
Affliction does not mean that God has left me or doesn’t love me anymore.  v. 7 You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul.
When David is most depressed and distressed and alone, and even as he recognizes his own sin, he cries out to God.  v. 9-14 … But I trust in You O God, my times are in Your hand.
God’s hand is stronger than my enemy’s hand.  v. 15 My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies…
Even the bad times in my life are in God’s hand.  v. 15 My times are in Your hand;
God stores up abundant goodness, and me, in His shelter.  How cool is that!  v.19-20 … how abundant is your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You… In the cover of Your presence You hide them… You store them in Your shelter…
Through all this, God’s steadfast love is mentioned over and over.  STEADFAST LOVE.  It stands strong.  It doesn’t change or waver.  Even in the midst of bad things. 

Now, go back and read the whole Psalm 31 again, in the order that David wrote it.  Don’t just read it.  Pray it.  Pray it and take heart with David.  Afflicted Believer, take heart.  This was written for you.  Don’t let fear rule over you.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

 

©Rebecca A Givens, 03/31/14

Random thoughts on forgiveness

Do I believe God?  Do I trust Him to forgive me?
Confess, repent, He promises forgiveness.
If God forgives, who else can condemn?
It's not enough to say I did the best with what I had.  I didn't.
My sin was nailed to the Cross with Christ.
I am saved by Grace, boundless grace.
Christ died for even this - for my sin, my sinfulness, my failure.
I am redeemed in spite of myself, for the sake of Christ.
Christ drank the cup of God's wrath for me, voluntarily, down to the dregs, all of it.
God has pursued me even in my unfaithfulness.
Pursued me, ransomed me, bought me with the life of Christ.
Rescued me.  Delighted in me.
Really? Seriously? Forgiven my unfaithfulness?
Yes.  Christ died with my unfaithfulness to Him.  Drank it willingly, and died with it. 
And rose from the dead without it.
Left it there in the tomb.  Dead.
But me, I rose with Him.  Risen from the dead.  Christ.  With me.

Does my failure define me, or does God's faithfulness, God's grace?
If God justifies me, who is my accuser?
Satan?  Myself?
Do I trust God?

More prayer resources

OK, I published the 31 Days of Praying for Your Wife not long ago.  What started me thinking about that was Revive Our Hearts 31 Days of Praying for Your Husband, which I have been using for quite a while.  I also use John Piper's Men and Women Challenge lists as prayer lists, for myself and my husband and my kids, which I wrote about here.  Here is his Challenge to Women.  I never could find his Challange to Men online, so I wrote it out of the book here.

Marriage is under attack in our society today... let's commit to praying for our spouses and our marriages (and please pray for me and my family whenever you happen to think about it).

31 Days of Praying for Your Wife

Yes, I finally finished 31 Days of Praying for Your Wife!  Thanks to those of you who contributed to this list way back when I started it.  I post it with 1 disclaimer.  These are things I hope my husband (and whoever else feels led to) will pray for me as a wife and mother, and things I pray for myself.  No, nothing here deals with career.  Please don't feel that I am dissing career women.  Feel free to use this list as a starting point to make your own list that addresses struggles you have.  In a couple of days I will post a link to the 31 Days of Praying for Your Husband (don't have time at the moment) and also a couple of other things that I use as a prayer list for myself and my family. 

31 Days of Praying for Your Wife

1.       Pray that your wife will grow spiritually and consider her accountability before the Lord.  Pray that she will guard her heart by developing spiritual disciplines – Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

2.       Pray that your wife’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in her life.  Pray that she will be a woman of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord.  (Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

3.       Pray that your wife will be humble and quick to agree with God about her sin.  Pray that her heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord.  (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

4.       Pray that your wife will learn to trust and submit to the Lord and to you, joyfully and without fear.  Pray that she will encourage you and wait for you to lead.  Pray that she will faithfully pray for you.  (I Peter 3:1-5)

5.       Pray that your wife will guard her heart.  Pray that her affections, heart and energy will be directed toward your family and your home.  (Prov. 4:23)

6.       Pray that your wife will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture.  Pray that she will recognize and avoid wickedness in her own life, and if necessary, take a strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

7.       Pray that your wife will seek God first, and look to Him to meet her needs, rather than to you or children or friends. (Mat. 6:32-34)

8.       Pray that God will give your wife creativity in making your house a home that is warm, inviting, and comfortable.  Pray that she will seek to make the house orderly (since God is a God of order) and structured to help and serve the family's needs. (Prov.31:27)

9.       Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family.  Pray that your wife will be content with your provision for your family, not longing for what the world tells her she needs. (I Tim. 5:6-7)

10.   Pray that your wife will seek to understand and be what God wants her to be as a woman, a wife and a mother.  (Prov. 31:10-31)

11.   Pray that your wife will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord.  Pray that she will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Phil 2:13)

12.   Pray that your sexual intimacy together will unite your hearts; that it will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love.  (Gen. 2:24-25, Song of Solomon)

13.   Pray that your wife will work to build up the Body through prayer and using her spiritual gifts. (Rom.12:3-8)

14.   Pray that your wife will tame her tongue; that she will speak words that build up you and your family and reflect a heart of love, knowing when to speak and when to be silent and pray. (Eph. 4:29, James 3:2-12)

15.   Pray that your wife will choose her friends wisely.  Pray that she will develop godly relationships with other women, particularly older women. (Titus 2:3-5)

16.   Pray that your wife will choose healthy, God-honoring activities.  Pray that she will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, television or books, but that she will experience freedom in holiness as she yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

17.   Pray that God will give your wife a hospitable heart, especially if hospitality does not come easily for her.  Pray that she will be comfortable inviting guests into your home. Pray that this will grow out of a heart for God’s people and also for the lost. (I Tim. 5:10)

18.   Pray that your wife will have an eternal perspective – living in light of eternity.  Pray that she will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in her life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)  

19.   Pray that your wife will seek a true friendship with you, and that you will be her best friend. (Gen. 2:20-25)

20.   Pray that your wife will find joy, peace and contentment in her role as wife and mother. (Eph. 5:15-21)

21.   Pray that your wife will learn to submit her emotions to God and filter them through His Word.  Pray that she will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in her greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in her relationship with God.  (Psalms)

22.   Pray that your wife will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others.  Pray that she will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

23.   Pray that your wife will be a good mother.  Pray that God will give her the ability, wisdom and strength to mother each child in their particular phase of life (infant, toddler, teen, adult, etc). (Prov. 22:6)

24.   Pray that your wife will lead a balanced life – that she will balance work and play.  (Ecc. 3:1-8)

25.   Pray that your wife will be wise in managing her time, activities and service.  Pray that she will submit her schedule to the Lord.  Pray that she will prioritize what is best over what is good, and that God will “establish the work of her hands” to prosper her efforts. (Psalm 90:17, Phil.1:9-11, Eph. 5:15-17)

26.   Pray that your wife will discover and live her God-given purpose.  Pray that she will offer all her dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity.  (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

27.   Pray that your wife will understand the importance of taking care of her body – the temple of the Holy Spirit – for the glory of God.  Pray that she will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. Pray that she will have physical strength each day and be able to rest each night. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

28.   Pray that your wife will be a woman of prayer.  Pray that she will seek and pursue God in purposeful quiet times.  (I Thess. 5:17; Luke 22:46; James 5:16)

29.   Pray that your wife will serve God and others with pure motives.  Pray that she will obey the Lord from her heart and glorify Him in everything. (1 Cor. 10:13; John 7:17-18; Col. 3:23-24)

30.   Pray that your wife will recognize the lies of the Enemy in her life.  Pray that her attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as she brings her thoughts into captivity to the Word of God. (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 10:4-5)

31.   Pray that God will continue to form your wife into a “wife of noble character… who fears the Lord.” (Prov. 31:10-31)

Bitter-Sweet, by George Herbert

Ah, my dear angry Lord,
Since thou dost love, yet strike;
Cast down, yet help afford;
Sure I will do the like....

I will complain, yet praise;
I will bewail, approve;
And all my sour-sweet days
I will lament and love.

George Herbert

Prayer by Bonhoeffer

O God,
Early in the morning do I cry unto Thee.
Help me to pray,
and to think only of Thee.
I cannot pray alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with Thee there is light.
I am lonely, but Thou leavest me not.
I am feeble in heart, but Thou leavest me not.
I am restless, but with Thee there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with Thee there is patience;
Thy ways are past understanding, but
Thou knowest the way for me.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Prayer by John Greenleaf Whittier

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Recolthe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow Thee.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease.
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Prayer by Origen

"Lord God, let us keep your Scriptures in mind and meditate on them day and night, persevering in prayer, always on the watch. We beg you, Lord, to give us real knowledge of what we read and to show us not only how to understand it, but how to put it into practice, so that we may ... obtain spiritual grace, enlightened by the law of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whose power and glory will endure throught all ages. Amen."

Origen

Shepherd of Tender Youth

"Shepherd of tender youth, guiding in love and truth
Through devious ways: Christ, our triumphant King,
We come Thy Name to sing;
Hither our children bring, to shout Thy praise.
Thou art our holy Lord, the all-subduing Word,
Healer of strife: Thou didst Thyself abase,
That from sin's deep disgrace,
Thou mightest save our race and give us life.
So now and till we die, sound we Thy praises high,
And joyful sing: infants, and the glad throng,
Who to Thy church belong,
Unite to swell the song to Christ our King. Amen."

Clement of Alexandria

Prayer by Polycarp

"Thou God and Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of Thee, O God of the angels and of all creation and of all just men who live in Thy presence, I thank Thee that Thou hast graciously granted this day and this hour to allot me a portion among the number of martyrs, among the people of Christ, unto the resurrection of everlasting life: may I be received in Thy sight, as a fruitful and acceptable sacrifice, wherefore, for all this, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee through the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Spirit, be all glory, world without end. Amen."

"I have served Him for 86 years, and He has done me know harm. How could I curse my King who saved me?"

Polycarp, as he was being martyred, 155AD

Prayer by Clement

"Grant unto us, Lord, that we may see our hope on Thy name...
and open the eyes of our hearts, that we may know Thee. We beseech Thee, Lord and Master, to be our help and succour. Save those among us who are in tribulation; have mercy on the lowly; lift up the fallen; show Thyself to those in need; heal the sick; turn again the wanderers of Thy people; feed the hunger; ransom our prisoners; raise up the week; comfort the faint-hearted. Let all nations know that Thou art God alone, and that Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and that we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture.
We praise Thee who art able to do these and and better things than these, through Jesus Christ the High Priest and Guardian of our souls, through whom be glory and majesty to Thee, both now and throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen"

Clement of Rome

Prayer by F.L. Battles

"O Father, we have not always been faithful to Thy Word;
We have not always taken up Thy cross to follow Thy Son;
And too often we have forgotten the church we are called to serve.
Renew in our hearts and in our minds
The faith that was in Peter and Paul,
The faith that strengthened the ancient martyres,
The faith that moved the pens and lips of the fathers,
The faith that built cathedrals and universities,
The faith that moved the Reformers to renew the church in their time.
O Father, teach us how to impart that faith to Thy people.
These petitions we lay before Thy presence in the name of Thy Son our Lord.
Amen"

Ford Lewis Battles (1915-79)

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Old Irish, eighth-century prayer.

I rise today
with the power of God to pilot me,
God's strength to sustain me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look ahead for me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to protect me,
God's way before me,
God's shield to defend me,
God's host to deliver me,
from snares of devils,
from evil temptations,
from nature's failings,
from all who wish to harm me,
far or near,
alone and in a crowd.

Answered Prayer

I found this prayer in my journal... dated 2/9/10. Oh my, it is so encouraging to read this and see how God has answered my prayers!

Lord,
Forgive me for holding onto my hurt and anger.
Love my husband through me, encourage him through me.
These do not come naturally in me.
I cannot do them on my own.
Bless our efforts and our actions.
Give us wisdom and peace and joy.
Provide for us.
Guide us along Your path.
Make us partners.
Bring our family together.
Glorify Yourself in us,
and in me.
Amen

Scripture Prayers

For years I have been increasingly drawn to praying through scripture. It just seems logical to me that God's own Words are the perfect prayers for us. I am now studying in the book of Ephesians, and it is full of prayers. This was from today's reading. I suggest you pray it for yourself, for your family, and for your believing friends (feel free to pray for me as well!).

Ephesians 3:14-21 (New International Version)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

What It Feels Like by FFH

I heard this song this morning... it describes so much of my life!

So this is what if feels like to walk the wilderness
and this is what if feels like to come undone
So this is what if feels like to loose my confidence
unsure of anything or anyone
So this is what if feels like to walk the desert sand
and this is what if feels like to hear my name
and to be scared to death cause I'm all alone
but feel love and peace just the same

And this may not be the road I would choose for me
but it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now

So this is what if feels like to be led
So this is what if feels like to have it fall apart
to be totally unglued
and find out if I accept my brokenness
I get more of me, I get all of you
If this is what if feels like to be on shaky ground
Careful of every step I take
Realizing as I stop to look around
I look around and see everything a different way

and this may not be the road I would choose for me
but it still feels right somehow
cause I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now

So this is what if feels like to be led
and this is what if feels like to be led
So this is what if feels like to just walk away
from everything I thought kept me safe
to depend just on you for every meal
and find it's better this way
oh it's better this way

And this may not be the road I would choose for me
but it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now
like i do right now

And this may not be the road I would choose for me
but it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now

And this is what if feels like to be led
And this is what if feels like to be led
And this is what if feels like

The Thousand Gifts

A long time ago I first posted and linked to The Thousand Gifts. The beginning of November, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, seems the perfect time to talk about this again.

The concept is simple. Start a list of things you thank God for. Big things, small things, everyday things, special things. And add to it until reach 1000... but I have to warn you, this is addictive and when you get to 1000 you won't be able to stop! My current list is almost 500, but when I lost my Bible last year I had to start over because my list was in it.

This list truly changed my attitude on many occasions. Looking back over it reminds me of what God has given me. And I find myself looking for things to thank Him for.

I encourage you to go over to Holy Experience and read her original post, she has quite a way with words and pictures.

Thoughts from my Pastor on Prayer

I have been reading a book loaned to me by a friend which explored what is wrong in the present-day church. It was an interesting read. As with every book I read, some things I agreed with and some things I did not, but the author brought out some interesting points and asked some thoughtful questions. I enjoyed the time I spent reading it. But it got me to thinking in particular about one question asked by the author. She said one of the biggest reasons people have difficulty with the modern-day church is because of the failure of the church to address the issue of “unanswered prayer”. So I would like to address that very issue right here and now.

The author never delineated between prayers that were not answered and prayers that were not answered in the manner the “pray-er” desired. I suspect she never made that distinction in her interviews, nor did those she talked with make or even think of the difference. Although my memory is shot-through in many instances, I do remember as a boy asking my parents (as every child does) for things that I wanted. Now upon occasion I actually got what I asked for, but most times I did not. Surprised? I learned that I would get an occasional “yes”, or a more frequent “no” or a less frequent “perhaps”.

I never realized until I was grown that when I received that rare “yes” it was because what I wanted matched or coincided with what my parents wanted for me. When I got a “no”, it was because in the wisdom of their experience they knew that what I wanted was not good for me. The less frequent “perhaps” indicated it was either not time yet, or they just had not thought about it and would let me know in the right time. We all have had some kinds of experiences like this. But the real point is that when I as a small boy asked for something, it was usually for selfish and self-serving reasons. James echoes this in James 4:3, “When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” I believe this is what is at the heart of the perceived problem of “unanswered prayer.”

If we, as Christians, ask our heavenly Father for something and it is in accordance with His will for us, He will give it to us – even if we ask for the wrong reasons. The Israelites asked for meat in the wilderness and the Lord granted their grumbling request – with so many quail they were physically sick with it. (see Numbers 11) And just because we ask something of our heavenly Father, let us not think for a moment that a “no” answer is no answer at all. As time passes and we grow in the faith, we may discover how very blessed we were not to receive what we asked for in our immaturity. And, since God is in no need of a “Plan B” and His grand purposes are ever marching onward, a “wait” answer would also be an indicator of His loving-kindness to us as we learn patience at the foot of our Master.

In response to the heart-felt questions about the state of our lives, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” And just a bit later in Matthew 7:11, Jesus said, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” God is neither mean nor deaf to His children. He wants to give things to us. They are called His blessings and they come in many forms.
So is there really any such thing as an unanswered prayer for God’s people? I don’t think so. It is not a question of God not answering our prayer, but of our submitting to His sovereign and loving will for our lives as His redeemed children. Do we really trust that He will provide for us all that we need? Or are we just upset because we don’t get whatever we want? Almighty God is not our personal “Santa Claus” into whose lap we climb and present our wish list, which He is then obligated to fulfill. He is our heavenly Father, who knows what is best for us and desires that we have it all in abundance – according to His will and in His time.

May He find us asking according to His will, patient until He makes His answer known, and content with whatever it may be. Our model is Jesus, and therein is the “peace that passes all understanding”.

In Christ,
Thomas