Waiting?

When we moved to Oklahoma I could no longer walk to elementary school. That was long enough ago that having two cars was an anomaly, not a normality. Daddy would drop me off and pick me up – no school buses in city limits, but there was a heavily-trafficked street he did not want me to cross. One snowy day, he forgot to pick me up.

I had stepped outside to look for him, and the door locked behind me. I worried, but I never considered starting to walk home. Daddy told me to wait. Daddy said he would pick me up. I trusted him, and I did not trust myself or the rest of the world.

Perhaps that’s why The Spiritual Encourager’s graphic meant so much to me. I can place actually experienced feelings into that picture.

Unlike my dear, sweet Daddy, God does not forget. Ages upon ages ago, Isaiah addressed that:

But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:14-16 KJV)

He loves us even more than my Dad loved me. The Bible is full of verses that tell me so. Yet – it appears at times I cannot reach Him, or that He’s not interested in me.

When that happens, and it does, I believe it is my responsibility to discover why.

First, I need to check my life – my prayer life and my daily life, too. Am I keeping the lines of communication open? Am I praying? Am I confessing my errors of omission as well as commission? Am I accepting His forgiveness?

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24 KJV)

Read the verses before this – know that He is ready to give the best of gifts:

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11 KJV)

How am I asking? For myself? Unselfishly for another? For God’s glorification? Can I remember that Jesus, facing the cross for me, was able to pray:

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39 KJV)

Am I able to do the same with much smaller requests? Do I mean “I really want this right now”? No one can know that but me. Loving family and closest friends know what I say, but only God knows my heart, as He did the Pharisees:

And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:14-15 KJV)

When my heart is right with God, I have help with my prayers.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27 KJV)

According to the will of God. Then, pray while waiting for His response.