To Live is Christ — working with confidence

A few months ago I went for a prayer walk complaining in my heart that this took time and I had a lot of work to do. God heard me, and although it was not an audible voice, His response was clear as if He had shouted, “Prayer is your work.”

So I “worked” all day yesterday. At times my heart felt heavy as I talked to God. None of those things that burdened my heart have changed — yet. However, I’m blessed by today’s devotional reading. Here it is, in context . . . 

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:7–11)

In this passage, Jesus encourages me to keep asking.  Ask Him for the things I seek, the doors that I wish opened. Human fathers, although sinful, know how to give good things to their children, so why would I ever think that my heavenly Father would respond to my cries with an answer that was useless, evil, unpleasant, or disagreeable? Should not the very source of joy give to me those things that will make me glad?

Besides the human situations and dire needs of some friends, I prayed for rain. Our part of the world is so dry that 40-year-old houses are shifting on their foundations. One new house in our area and built by one of the best builders, sank more than 12 inches. Trees are dying. So people are praying, including me — and it rained last night.

The sound of rain on the windows made me thankful and hopeful. God knows what His people need, but even better, He has the power to give us what we need. Nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.

Besides that, more often than not His gifts are a surprise. His answers to my prayers are seldom exactly what I had in mind, but they are always good and produce joy in my heart. I have more work to do today, but need to remember this as I pray . . . 

By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth . . . (Psalm 65:5)