For This I Prayed

"But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness."  Psalm 69:13

How many times have you and I failed to recognize our circumstances as direct answers to prayer simply because the circumstance didn't look like our own preconceived notion--the way we thought it should look?

Recently I was reflecting on just that.  I had been praying for God to give me time . . . time to serve Him more, to escape the herd, the hamster wheel of life, and to be one of the real workers in His field who are harvesting where others have planted and planting for others to harvest.  As I left my cushy job for another--at His direction--and found the rug pulled out from under me, I began to question God.  I did what was my habit and began to apply for other jobs, waiting for the door to open.

Crickets.

Days.  Weeks.  Then, the gentle whisper of the Lord's voice in the quiet, reminding me that this is, indeed, what I had been praying for so long.  It didn't look as I thought it would or should, but it so clearly is a beautiful answer to prayer, allowing me to write more, to talk to my children about God more, to pray with my friend's child to receive Jesus Christ as Savior, to call those who need to know He cares for them and that His people do, too.  And, to love.

More importantly, what will I continue to do with this beautiful answer to prayer?  Will I continue to seek the lost and make disciples as Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20)?  Will I make myself available and join Him in the work He is doing all around me?  Or, will I return to the world as my master?

This is the true test.

Has God answered your prayer?  Are you questioning His answer, asking Him why it does not look the way you think it should?

I challenge you to get used to God's kind of different, to follow Him with your whole heart wherever He leads you, to be ALL IN and watch what He will do.

It is for this I prayed.

Goodnight, Runners.