Time Will Tell

Having written about this before, I feel the need to repeat myself … because some things need to be repeated. If it was worth saying the first time, then it just might be okay to repeat it again. Is it possible to hear too much about the Lord, or try and learn of His character … who He really is and how He responds to our prayers when we cry unto Him?

I said before that when people ask me to pray about something, I usually ask them if they are sure they want me to pray for them, because everyone I pray for dies. They will usually laugh or say something like, "Oh no, you don't mean that." I just smile back … they don't realize I'm serious about it. (And no they don't all die … but some have.)

The prayer requests I have been asked to pray about, I believe were answered in the way God wanted them answered. I have even asked myself if I really believe what I just stated … especially if you look at the outcome of each one through our human emotions. Some look like complete failures while others are deemed to be successful strictly on the end result. Example … if the one you might be praying for dies, does that mean God's will in the matter wasn't accomplished?

1st Corinthians 2:16 … "For who has known or understood the mind and purposes of the Lord …"

We must come to understand that His purposes and thoughts, as He has shaped and drawn the image of things in His own mind; including everything that is … is determined by the Lord. Nothing comes by chance; everything is … as it is purposed by God … everything comes to pass which He has resolved.

Therefore, every solution to prayer, every answer … proceeds from Him … and is the product of His Sovereign wisdom and Providence. Each of His purposes shall be accomplished, no matter what is in the heart and mind of man concerning how we want our prayers answered … it will be His will, done His way, in His time.

You see … I believe that God is ultimately responsible … for everything. You do not have to agree with me … that's okay, I don't mind. I believe that God is in control for several reasons, one of which is from the Psalmist David in Psalms 24:1 … "The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

This covers everything; the earth (the physical planet); the fullness (everything it produces); the world (the social systems); and they (all men and creatures).

God made all things, and He has never lost possession or relinquished His control over any of His creation, with the exception of … "the free will of man" … because choice must always be left to us.

So … what happens if we don't get the answer we are looking for when we pray?

I want to have enough confidence and trust in God to believe that all His dealings with us proceed from His heart of love. I'm not saying He will, but what if He takes one or all of our possessions away; do we feel that He has taken only what belongs to Him … of which we have no right or claim to anyway? Do we submit to all of God's plans for us without a complaint only during good times when things are going well … or even when pain is allowed in our lives as it is many times.

If this world is God's, and it is, shouldn't He be allowed to govern the world as He sees fit? But our biggest problem is … we cannot see the reasons of His conduct or know why He answers some prayers and not others.

So I ask this question, are we going to accept the truth, which is … that God can dispense His blessings in answer to prayer to whomever He wants and with whatever terms He so chooses. God can and will do whatever He wants, anytime He wants … and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

I was caught off guard in a life experience concerning prayer. I say I was caught off guard because I really was; I wasn't expecting the bad news that came on that Sunday evening while I was eating supper. I lost my appetite. Really. After finally stepping up and trying to become what I thought He expected me to be, I just knew everything was going to be okay. That shows you we just think we know … until the cold hard reality of life shows up, when something like this happens.

What made me think, that after 4 years with many other people praying … so what if God Himself showed up and told me to take on the role like that of the Roman centurion, and ask Him to send His Word just like Jesus was asked to do in Luke Chapter 7.

God Himself, two days earlier, had convinced me that with the same kind of faith that Jesus said the centurion had; if I would ask with this kind of faith, it would be enough to move God the Father to speak and send the Word that had been needed the past 4 years.

But I was wrong and I don't know what to do about it now, or even in the future. I forgot one very important detail.

It was God's "will" in the story of the centurion, to heal his servant. So, even with all of the many prayers offered up, (including mine, after being told to step up and ask) I must conclude, that it wasn't God's will this time, for whatever reason, to fulfill the promise of healing that Jesus obtained for us by the stripes His body was beaten bloody for.

A promise in the Word of God must be God's "will" or it wouldn't be a promise … right? So what is wrong? Is there a condition attached to the promise that we don't know about. I thought Jesus already paid the full price for healing. I thought all we had to do was believe.

Oh … Could it be that simple?

All of us, including myself didn't believe? And so now, a small 8 year old boy is in Heaven; his father and mother, along with his older sister, all left behind heartbroken, asking … why?

From now on, when I am called upon to believe again, and I know I will be; will my first thought be … "is it His will?"

I don't know … time will tell.



Comments welcome.