I was reading something and the writer said that God didn't answer her prayer. She was writing in reference to her three year old son being killed in a car accident and her prayer as the doctors were trying to revive him were "Please, Lord, not my baby boy, take me, not him." Then she said that God did not answer that prayer.
It got me thinking.
Does God answer all of our prayers?
I think he does.
I think sometimes, I just don't want the answer He gives. Sometimes, it would be easier to think that he left one unanswered rather than accept His answer.
I think, His answer might be no or wait. And those answers might feel unanswered to me.
But if I don't accept an answer, is that letting Him be God of my life?
I think that if I believe everything in the Bible than I have to believe He answers all my prayers.
I have been thinking a lot lately about Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsamane, Mark 4:36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will." I have to admit to reading about this on another blog but I can't find the exact post. The last line is what I have been thinking about the most. "Yet not what I will but what you will." Jesus prayed these words while waiting for the Roman guards to come arrest him and sentence him to be crucified. He didn't want to be crucified for my sins, but he wanted to do the will of his father, God. He asked God to take this cup from him, he asked him to save him, please, daddy, he said, don't let them crucify me, but not what I want, Lord, but what you want.
I don't have a tragic story to compare this to, I haven't had to ask God to save my child or my husband. I pray that if I ever do, I will be able to say, "Not my will but yours be done."
Another prayer for me, is that I will accept the Lord's answers.
For me, these are profound prayers that I have been dwelling, for you, they may be like duh. I feel like I have to apologize for writing these things because I haven't experienced deep sorrow or tragedy in my life. I feel like I haven't lived through the test.
And then, I remember my childhood. And I remember that God is faithful. And that, my life isn't what I would have willed as a 6th grade girl. And for that, I am thankful.*
God does answer prayer. All of them.
*If you would like to know the rest of this story, please email me through my profile page. I am not sure I am ready to write out that story for all of the internet to read.
I totally agree with you. He always answers. I was thinking about this just the other day when I saw a prayer journal sort of page with two columns one labeled "prayer request" the other labeled "date answered" I thought to myself. God always answers us immediately when we pray, sometimes we just have to wait a while to see what that answer was. It's like if my daughter asks me for a piece of candy. I may answer yes, I might say no; or I may say, after dinner. I never just wait around an a day or two later say, "Oh, honey, here is the candy you asked for yesterday. I'm ready to answer you now."
ReplyDeleteJust my two cents worth. Nice post.
Krista L.
I would love to know the rest of the story - I think you have my email?
ReplyDeleteI think that in his infinite wisdom God answers our prayers as He sees fit. Obviously he doesn't answer the prayers that don't fit in His plan for us.. for the exact reason you mentioned - the prayers of a child aren't always what we need.. I do have faith.
Hugs.
(I won't be around email as much, but if you email me I promise I'll respond. We keep losing our internet connection here!!)