Different From Expected

A friend and fellow church member dropped by the hospital last week to assure Joanne that people were praying for her (Remember, she had a Pacemaker implanted and four days later, fell and broke her wrist in multiple places.) Her reply to him, concerning the prayer of others was, “Tell them it’s not working,”  For many years, I had taught in the classroom and in churches, that there is no such thing as unanswered prayer.  We love it when God says “Yes” to our prayer requests, but sometimes He says “No” and that is also an answer.  Other times He says “Wait” and that also is an answer.  But now my wife was telling our friend that the prayers of others was not working.  I made a mental note to discuss that with her later.  Meanwhile I couldn’t get it off my mind.  Then, a few days later the selected verse from the Moravian Daily Texts website, which I receive via e-mail every morning and use in my morning devotional time, was from Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” I was reminded again that prayer is not telling  God what to do but rather responding to what God does. Thanks to those friends who are continuing to pray for my wife.  God is listening and responding.  It just doesn’t look exactly like what we expected.