God is Listenin

Every January our church has a week of prayer.  For the last few years, the phrase "God is Listening" has been used during this week.

Our kids have been praying for a certain little boy in Africa for 21 months.  Every night at devotions at least one of them prays for him.  Sometimes all five of us utter his name during prayer.  Sometimes they pray things like "help him to get here quickly" or "help him to be home by such and such a date".  I'll admit, I am like Sarah (Abraham's wife) and I laugh to myself.  Because it seems that nothing ever happens quickly in Africa and sometimes it feels like nothing will ever happen.

You may already know the story, but the Lord says to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord?  I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."  Genesis 18:13-14

We recently had an evening where one of our children had misplaced/lost an expensive pair of sunglasses and an ipod touch.  Both were missing.  We looked everywhere that we could think to look and couldn't find either.  I said, "You need to pray that they will show up".  The response I got was "God doesn't answer prayer".  I then gave the mommy lecture about how God does answer prayer, etc., etc.  He then said, "Well, God doesn't answer my prayers."  When I pushed further, he said God didn't heal Mr. Kurt (my parent's neighbor) and he hasn't brought Amen home.  Well, that's fair and honest.  God hasn't answered those prayers the way our human minds would like them to be answered.  Of course we want healing and of course we want quick response to our prayers.

Well, we prayed that both items would be found.  The sunglasses showed up that evening.  It took several days for us to find the iPod touch, but what was lost is now found!

And then this is what I found on his door.

God doesn't always answer the way we want.  But I promise you God is listening or listenin'.

I'm thankful that He hears all of our prayers even the ones for lost items. (We are currently praying for another child's prayer of eyeglasses to show up!)

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.  
Micah 7:7