Vol. 18 No. 20 | May 23, 2016
Let’s talk about prayer. Do you pray? If you do pray, what do you expect to happen when you pray? Do you expect anything to happen when you pray? Do you pray for specific results, or do you pray in generic terms and leave the results up to God to do whatever He chooses to do “according to His will?”
There is a story in Acts 12 about a group of people who were praying for a something very specific: Peter’s release from prison. James had already been put to death by King Herod, Herd’s plan was to do the same with Peter. Peter’s friends had gathered at Mary’s house to pray for Peter. One would assume they were praying for his safety and release. Under the circumstances it would surely take a miracle. To their amazement, it happened.
Peter knocks on the door of the house as the group is praying. The girl who answers the door get so excited to tell the group that Peter is at the door, she forgets to let him in. The people who had praying for him did not believe he was at the door and said she much be crazy. “But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”
Has that ever happened to you? You pray for something and before you are finished praying, you have the answer. Like the group praying for Peter, you do not believe it. Like Peter you think you must be dreaming.
What did you expect? When you prayed did you think anything would happen? When you prayed specifically for something to happen and you wanted it to happen as soon as possible, were you astonished when it happened…even sooner than you expected?
You pray for direction from God concerning an important decision. Suddenly as you are praying you experience an unexplainable sense of peace. You know what you need to do. God loves to do that.
You need a new job. You have found the job you want and have had the interview but have not heard anything from them. You ask several of your friends to pray for specifically for a position that you are convinced is perfect for you. They agree to set aside a specific time to pray about your new job. The next day you get a phone call from the person in charge of hiring apologizing for not being able to reach you sooner and the job is yours if you want it and the salary and benefits package is even better than you had expected. God loves to do that.
You heard the words that everyone dreads to hear: “There is nothing we can do.” The prayers that have already been prayed are increased and intensified. Friends and families offered fervent prayers for healing and restoration to the living God. Then you received the follow-up reports indicating an unexplainable absence of the disease. God loves to do that.
You have prayed and waited and prayed and waited and prayed and waited for the right person to come along. You have had your check list and marked off person after person who have failed to meet your criteria. You continue to pray and hope and wait. You have grown weary and just about given up when “out of the blue” you run into a friend you have known for years. Suddenly you see them differently. You realize, though you have never noticed it before, that this person meets all your requirements. In fact, exceeds them. God loves to do that.
God loves to do that. God loves to surprise. God loves to hear from us and loves to respond to us. God loves to amaze us.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)
The next time you pray, pray expectantly. Get ready to see what God has been planning for you even before you began praying. Prepare to see what He does. God loves to do that.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.