
The Work of Hope
Hope is a force of God that enlivens us to life. We can easily miss the Read More
How is it that I found my answered prayer this morning inconvenient? My first thought when I looked out my window in the early morning was Yuck. The wind was blowing at over 60 kilometers an hour. Violently smashing an icy rain/snow mix into the windows. The morning news deepened my feelings of dread; non-essential travel was not advised. The highways were icy and the visibility was poor. My plans for today would be ruined, or at least rescheduled.
My first thought this morning should have been, Thank you Lord, for the moisture. I should have been shouting halleluiah! We had been vehemently praying for this precipitation. We are facing what was predicted to be the worst drought in history, even worse than last year’s. This is a concern not only for us in the agriculture industry, but for our whole province. With the wildfire season beginning earlier than usual, rural residents are being urged to have evacuation plans in order. How is it even possible then that when my answer to prayer came, and in such a big way, I momentarily forgot that I had desperately prayed for this much needed moisture. How is it that I found inconvenience in my answered prayer?
I had always been intrigued by the story of the 10 lepers that Jesus healed. They, like us, cried out to Jesus. He answered them, and on they ran, healed, their prayers answered. Only one came back to say thank you. This used to be, to me, an almost unbelievable story. I mean really, out of this group of lepers, even the one who said thank you had to turn around and come back to say it. He had started on his way and then turned around. This was much like I had done at the beginning of my day. I’m sure that all the lepers were grateful to be healed, just as I was grateful for the rain. They just didn’t acknowledge with gratitude the one who had answered them in accordance to what they had asked for. I am no longer intrigued by the lesson of the lepers; I am instead humbled.
When I wrote my devotional on Micah 6:8, I was excited to share the seeming simplicity of this text. They were words that comforted and encouraged me on my own faith journey. What does the Lord require of us but to live justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with and before our Lord. This has been for me a year of learning and relearning how to walk humbly. It has been a year of having some prayers answered with a yes, some with a no, and some with a wait. So I am learning and relearning how to wait. I find that learning to wait and learning to walk humbly often go hand in hand.
Today’s storm is no longer an inconvenience. Instead the sleet and wind pounding on my windows remind me of the goodness of my God. They are tangible evidence that God hears me and answers me when I cry out. And I acknowledge God, humbly grateful. The highways will, in all likelihood, be open tomorrow. Travel will once again be safe. So will all that we have entrusted into God’s care. And I know that mere words will never be able to express my gratitude.