No Prayer is Ignored
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Floyd's doctor told me that he's had a peaceful week. Everything is the same with his condition. I am so grateful to the Lord that Floyd did so well this winter - probably the best winter he's had since he became sick, and we had some very, very cold weather - some big storms. I am so grateful for all the prayers going up for us. Prayer is powerful!
I have a little imaginary scenario in my mind of what happens when our prayers are lifted heavenward. I see a prayer command room with a giant celestial chalk board. Multitudes of angels are rapidly recording all our prayers. They consult with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to determine how to answer the prayers. Do they answer them immediately? Do they align them with plans and purposes of what they are already working on? Do they hold them for later? They carefully weigh the best way to answer each prayer. Not one prayer is tossed aside. There's great activity as each prayer is received. As I said, this is just my imaginary way of visualizing how it works - but one thing I know for certain is that no prayer is ignored!
We sometimes get frustrated when our prayers don't see immediate results. I think of the severe drought we faced here in Cape Town in the summer months of 2019 (Dec. 2018, Jan. - March 2019). We were running out of water. In fact there was concern that Cape Town would be the first large city in the world to go completely dry. The dams/reservoirs that hold the water for the city were getting lower and lower. They looked like beds of sand.
We were on strict water rationing. There was a time limit on our showers. We could only flush our toilets when absolutely necessary - we saved shower water for that. Clothes were worn over and over before washing them. No lawns or gardens could be watered. No cars could be washed. If we managed to save some rain water, then we could give our dry plants a little drink. If households went over a certain amount of water usage, they were fined.
It was a dire situation! We got a little rain, so thankfully we never went completely dry - but everything in life changed from the water shortage. I don't think we'll ever forget that summer! We are all still very, very careful with our water usage. Many, many prayer meetings were held. I think many who don't even believe in God were calling out to Him for relief.
Fast forward to this winter (June - Sept.). We've had rain, rain, rain!! We're all tired of it, but we realize what a blessing it is......and an answer to prayer, even if it didn't come as quickly as we had hoped in the summer of the drought. ALL the dams are full - the largest one, is full and overflowing for the first time in a decade. It is truly an answer to all those prayers that were lifted up!
Quite a few months ago I asked two friends to pray with me for a situation. We've prayed diligently, but didn't see any answers. Then recently something changed. Almost daily there are changes - answers to those prayers. It's like a door was unlocked and the answered prayers are now rushing through!
From day one of Floyd becoming ill I have prayed many prayers - but one prayer I have prayed daily. "Lord, may all of your plans and purposes for this season be fulfilled." I confess that I don't fully understand this season, but I know the character of God and I know He is always at work to accomplish things that are on His heart.
When Floyd first got sick, the doctors said he might survive a few weeks - then a few months - then a year - then 18 months. Now they have no idea. They can't figure it out. The staff at the hospital love him and make him comfortable, but no one has a prognosis for the future. God may heal him, or He may take him home to heaven. I trust Him! But the one thing I keep praying is that every plan and purpose on the heart of God for this season will be fulfilled!
My mom, my Aunt Lillian, Floyd's Mom and Dad - they all prayed diligently for Floyd and me through the years. I believe we have many times walked in the fulfillment of their prayers without even knowing it. I remember when we were praying about moving our family into the Red Light District in Amsterdam. It was a big decision. We asked my mom and Floyd's parents to pray with us. I was particularly concerned about my mom. I didn't know what this little Texas grandmother would think of the idea of us taking her two grandchildren into that neighborhood.
Much to my surprise, my mom responded that she was all for it. She told us how as a new, young Christian she wanted to work in the red light district in the port city of Galveston where she lived. She was told she couldn't do that - she was too new in the Lord, and it was too big a challenge for her. She obeyed that advice - but she prayed. She prayed for Galveston, but she also prayed that somewhere, someday, someone in her family could work in a red light district and see many women come to know Jesus. I never knew any of that. What we were wanting to do was an answer to her prayers many, many years later. And many of the women did come to know Jesus!
God woke me up one morning this week with all of this on my mind and flooding into my heart. I got up early out of bed to start writing this down. I want to encourage you that your prayers are important - even when you don't see immediate answers. God, in His wisdom, knows how and when to answer them. We can trust Him with that - but our part is to keep praying!!
No matter how difficult things seem, no matter how much things seem out to control, no matter how heavy our hearts are - God is at work and He hears every prayer we are lifting to Him. There WILL be answers in His perfect timing. We must just be faithful to do our part in praying. It is so important that we pray, pray, pray in the midst of all the problems around us. Every single prayer is heard in heaven!!
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer." 1 Peter 3:12
"And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us." 1 John 5:14
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24
"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." Psalm 34:17
"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
I don't think I would have been able to persevere all this time on our unexpected journey if it wasn't for the prayers around the world that help sustain me. I am so very grateful.
I had my check-up appointment this week which went well. I'll have more next week. Anxiety always pops its head up when I have these check-ups. It doesn't matter how many times I've gone through this process. I'm having to go to new levels of "casting my cares on Him" and receiving His peace.
I recently read a verse that I'm sure I've read before, but it hasn't struck me like it did this time.
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." John 20:30,31
I'm so grateful for the record of the miracles of Jesus......and I've sometimes thought - there must have been many more. I wish we knew all of them. But the miracles didn't stop when Jesus died. There are miracles coming from the Father and the Son every day. I'm so grateful we serve a miracle working God!
I feel fresh boldness and courage rising in my heart to ask Him for present day miracles. I ask Him daily for His miracle working power to be released in a number of situations. It seems like every direction I look, there are situations that need miracles. So much pain, sickness, turmoil, and need. It must break the Father's heart to see His creation, His children in such distress!
I've had a front row seat to some miracles in my lifetime. Sometimes I had great faith in asking God to move. At other times I had pretty much no faith, but I still asked. The thing is - it's not dependent on us! It's God's power at work - our part is to ask.
I saw a YouTube video recently called Battle at Kruger. There's a herd of majestic Cape Buffalos with a young buffalo among them - and some lions are watching, waiting to go for that baby for their dinner. The Buffs get quite close, and the lions go for it......grabbing the baby, chasing it into the water nearby. The lions have hold of the baby and are trying to drag it out of the water when 2 crocodiles try to steal their dinner. They wrestle and the lions win. They drag it out of the water, and are crouching over it......when here come the WHOLE herd of buffalos!
It's such a powerful moment. I got goose bumps. Someone on the video said there were a hundred of them. I don't know for sure, but there were a lot. A massive wall of them came towards the lions - at one point throwing one of the lions in the air. Lions are known as the king of the jungle, but they were no match for this massive herd of powerful buffalos.
I sat thinking after I watched the video - and had the clear impression....that's what God does for us. We may be in a difficult battle, it may look like we've lost, we may have been fought over by various predators......but then the mighty army of God comes to our rescue......in full force, in power, in might! It truly felt like I'd watched a spiritual battle.....and I felt like rejoicing. I identify with the baby buffalo.....but the army of God has come to my rescue in difficult times over and over again. I'm so grateful to Him.
I love lions - but in this video I was cheering for the Cape Buffalos. The visual imagery of their "win" was powerful! And it built fresh faith in my heart to pray for victories, for miracles.
"He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me." 2 Samuel 22:17-20
"How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!" Psalm 35:17
"He delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." Daniel 6:27
"You are the God who works wonders; You have made known your strength among the peoples." Psalm 77:14
No matter how dire our situation, no matter how big our need, no matter how great a miracle we need......He is able! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!! How awesome is He.