Sometime during the year, we will have the following question on a test:
What are the three answers to prayer?
The correct replies are:
A. yes
B. no
C. later
I know that is a very simple way to look at our communication with the Lord but the kids understand. The following is about waiting, something I fear I am not good at. This is from July 30, 2007, the day before my dad had the stroke that would ultimately cost him his life.
I was ready. The office told me the carpet layers would be coming this morning as early as 8:30 and possibly as late as 12:30. Out of bed at five o'clock, I managed to squeeze in a workout at our Westbury Christian weight room and spent the rest of the time making it as easy as possible for the men to do their job. At 8:25, I unplugged my computer and wedged it all in a large cardboard box, still connected to each other, just in case I might forget what line goes where. Then, I sat down in a chair and waited. The first hour flew by. During the second hour, I began checking the clock regularly. I dozed off at intervals. I prayed some and thought some. With the television and computer shut down and with my books stashed away, I was stranded with nothing to do. About 10:30, I began to think they might not be coming. Before I knew it, it was 12:45 and still no sign. It would have been difficult under the circumstances to fix any sort of lunch in my barricaded kitchen so I called the office. One of the managers apologized profusely. The carpet guys had two jobs here today and they did the other one first. I understood completely; I just wanted to make sure if I ran out for some fast food that it would be OK. She assured me it was fine and I made it to the nearby Chinese place, returning with spicy chicken and fried rice, before the workers arrived at roughly 1:30. They were amazing. In less than two hours, they stripped out the old and lay down the new, vacuuming on the way out the door to boot. It was worth the wait. Every step I take leaves a perfect footprint, almost like at the beach. And, it wasn't bad for me just to sit and ponder some stuff. You can do considerable pondering in four-plus hours!
I don't like waiting. Knowing full well that the rug installers might not make it until the afternoon, I optimistically still chose to believe they would come at my convenience. In reality, my preferences didn't matter. It was in the hands of others and it happened when they determined. As usual, the result was better than I hoped for. I don't like waiting on the Lord, either. My convenience and schedule should take precedence. Amazingly, our father in heaven doesn't seem to work out the details in my specified time-frame. More amazingly, it always ends up better His way. You know that hymn, In His Time? I really like its simple message, that the beauty of the Lord's plans does not appear at our beckoning. Patiently or not, we learn to wait upon the Lord. I just wish my time zone would line up a little more with His.
Applicable quote of the day:
"It's easier to put on slippers than to carpet the whole world."
Al Franken
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
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