ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

My mother insisted that her prayers were always answered. Sometimes God said “Yes,” sometimes “No,” and other times “Later.” The first time I heard her say this, I thought she was ducking the question. But as the years have gone by, I have begun to see the wisdom of her answer.

When we pray and make a request of God, it is easy to assume that He’ll answer it just as any person would when asked a question. But God doesn’t work that way. If for example, you prayed for good weather for an outside event you were attending, you would obviously have an answer when the day of the event arrived. If, on the other hand, you prayed for the success of a child’s marriage, you might not get the answer for decades.

The important thing to remember is that God has not forgotten your prayers. It is up to you to remember the prayer, keep it alive and be grateful to God when you discern His answer.

It may not be easy to realize that God has answered your prayer. After all, no voice comes out of the sky and declares yes or no. Rather, it has been my experience that when you think of something that you prayed for, you often realize that God has already answered your prayers. My mother was right. God always answers your prayers.

— Ken Hill

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist