Unsilent

Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. (Psalms 94:17-19 KJV)

Thank God my soul has not dwelt in silence!! Whenever I needed Him, He provided a verse that at the very least whispered His peace:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 KJV)

At the greatest, I’ve shared in joys:

… Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:6b-7 KJV)

It wasn’t sheep, but goats that put these verses in perspective. When we added two little girl goats, Leah and Rachel, who were escape artists. Their second was well after dark when we got home and they could have been gone over an hour. Beloved Husband couldn’t head out, but Second Daughter, her husband and I did, with flashlights, scattered across the acreage, seeking those lost baby goats.

Yes, I prayed. Just as I’d prayed for Beloved Husband’s remission, I prayed for the safety of these two little goats.  And, I rejoiced when we responded to BH when he found them, sleeping on our front porch.

How could I rejoice over this answered prayer while my prayers for my husband have gone unanswered?  Are my requests so few that this one was important? How can I equate finding goats with my husband’s health?  I know those questions are out there.  I’ve heard some of them when relating this.

First – all prayers are answered, in His time.  God is sovereign and His timeline is not ours.  During his last hospitalization, when he could not breath or eat for three days, BH said he knew he was not going to die.  No matter how close we thought he might be, he knew God would allow him some more time. It may be that his healing will not come until he is home with the Lord, as happened with some people we’ve known.

Second – not all prayers are answered in the affirmative. God is quite capable of saying “No,” or “Not now.”  While it is true God encourages His children to:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6 KJV)

We need to understand these are requests, not commands, to be expected only if it is His will, not just because we want it to happen.  That gives us a lot to think about, and His comfort does delight my soul.

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. (Psalms 94:19 KJV)

That comfort is available to all, for the asking. It keeps us from staying silent.