Life IS...預覽

Life IS... Knowing the Power of Prayer

Have you ever been so confident about something that no matter what anybody else said, you never wavered from what you knew and believed to be true? That is how I am when it comes to prayer.  Anyone who knows me personally knows that praying is part of my DNA.  It's like oxygen...I need it to survive on this journey called LIFE. 

As we know, there are times when our prayers may be answered instantly, and sometimes it may take a while.  Then there are those times when our prayers are not answered the way we would like them to be answered.  Such was the case regarding my oldest sister Janice, who passed away from brain cancer in 2008.

When my family and I learned that the doctors had only given her six months or less to live, I prayed and believed that God would give us a miracle on her behalf. After all, this was the same God in John 11:38-44 that raised Lazarus from the dead. I wanted my sister to live and tell her testimony about how she was healed.

Although she passed away, the miracle we received was the fact that she lived almost two years.  Her passing was not the outcome I wanted, but it allowed me the opportunity to spend more quality time with my sister than the doctor predicted.

Just because we don't always have our prayers answered, that doesn't mean we stop praying. There is such a thing as God's Permissive Will and His Perfect Will. God's Permissive Will allows for our prayers to be answered.  In His Perfect Will, we have to know that we trust that God knows what's best, although we may not understand the outcome. 

When we read the conversation taking place between Jesus and God the Father when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus knew what the road to him being crucified was going to be like.  That's why He said to the Father, 

"...if there is any other way, remove this cup from me."  

In the next verse, we see Jesus submitting His will to God's Perfect Will by saying, 

"NEVERTHELESS, not my will but thy will be done." (Matt. 26:36-39-NKJV)

The more we pray, the more we learn about the character of God and connect with Him. Prayer is the conduit for connection, and not only does He want intimacy with us, but He also calls us to "pray without ceasing." (1 Thes. 5:17) The more we learn about God's goodness, the more we trust Him and His Permissive and Perfect Will. 

I still believe in the POWER of prayer; God's track record for answering prayers is good with me.  Don't give up on God. 

Reflection:

Focus on the number of times God HAS answered your prayers instead of the times He didn't.

Prayer: 

Father, thank you for assuring me that you hear me when I pray. Although I may not always understand your timing, I take comfort in knowing that your will is always perfect.  No matter what challenges may come my way, I will continue to trust you and believe that prayer is the key.  In Jesus' name, Amen.