DAY 23: Sunday, October 23
TOPIC: Praise for Answered Prayer
SCRIPTURE: "Pray without ceasing." II Thessalonians 5:7 (KJV) Ps 17:6 "I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer" Ps 17:6 "I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer" (NIV)
OBSERVATION: Until recently I did not realize that every prayer I had ever uttered had been answered by God! Before you stop reading, let me explain. I have taught for years that God answers prayer in four ways: sometimes He says, "Yes," sometimes it's "No," other times He says "Wait," and finally He may say, "I have something better for you." After I got to thinking about those four responses to my prayers, I realized that every prayer I had ever uttered had been answered. The problem is, if God doesn't answer our prayers the way WE want them answered, we conclude that God hasn't answered our prayer when he really has. When I look back I realize that sometimes "NO" was actually better for me in the long run. I've seen times when God gave me something much better. We say we want God's will to be done in all things; that includes our prayers.
PRAYER: Lord, I am amazed at your answering of our prayers and I praise you for always hearing our prayers. It is wonderful when you say, "Yes" to our prayers, that means Your will and my will is one in the same. But I am just as thankful for those times you have said, "No" because you always know what is best for me. Amen.