Sunday, May 4, 2008

Answers in Prayer... Coincidence? I Don't Think So!

Last Sunday an old friend came to mind. He was my very best friend through most of High School and my first year in college. We were like Mutt and Jeff, we were just always doing things together. Our college years separated us and for the last 20+ years, I have not heard from him. I made several attempts to find him but failed each time.

This past Sunday something different happened though. You see I have been putting a lot of study in to prayer (the TWO-way conversation between myself and God Almighty). I've known about talking TO God for a long time... all of my life really; but it only recently that I have come to know about seeing how God 'talks' to me.

Back to my friend. I lifted up a prayer for him last Sunday. I didn't know where he was, or even if he was living. I just felt the need to pray for him so I did. On Tuesday evening I got an email on my Blackberry from my friend! He simply said that he found my email address with a Google search on the Internet and he was wanting to say 'hi'!

He is completely on the other side of the country and now married with a young daughter. Since that first email on Tuesday, I have now seen pictures of his daughter and have spoken to him for close to an hour. What a wonderful conversation it was! I look forward to others and hopefully to once again rekindling a friendship that had long gone cold.

There are so many that would say that this was just coincidence... I thought of him and he emailed me. I am truly coming to understand the incredible power of God though. He wants and desires to have a two-way relationship with us. Yet so many times we treat Him as if He were a genie in a bottle. When we want something, we go and ask and plead with Him for it.

No, this wasn't coincidence. Yes, it was answered prayer but answered prayer sometimes is 'no' also. If we are in a right relationship with God, He indeed answers all our prayers. What I'm trying to relay to you today is that you focus first on your relationship with God and following Him wholeheartedly throughout each day. Secondly... look for the multitude of ways that God speaks to you. It may actually be audible. It may be a thought in your mind. It may come as advice from another. It may even come through a donkey speaking to you (see Numbers 22:27-31. This is a riot. I can only imagine what Balaam was thinking)!

Don't limit God in your mind and in your heart. He is without bounds or limits. His ways are not our ways and its 'OK' to not understand or find reason to the ways that He speaks to us. Just enjoy the conversation with your Creator.

Carpe Diem!

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