Thoughts for another day

June 17, 2008

Today's verse: Ps. 17:6. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. (NIV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Yesterday was the time for my prayer, which I had been praying for a while with full confidence, to be answered. I learnt God did not answer me! At the time I learnt, it did not affect me much but then as time went by, I started feeling a little bitter. I told Him, Lord, hard had I prayed to you and fervent was my plea…why Lord?

In situations of prayer, sometimes, the Lord may not answer as swift as we want Him to but He does later. My situation however was time- bound if one might say and strangely God was silent on it. After being used to God answering my prayer all the time, I found it very strange that I could not rejoice on being given a positive answer. It started me thinking, why oh Lord??? Let me firmly say, that we are in no position to question God or demand an answer to our prayer but then as His children, He is okay if through the pain in our hearts, we do query Him (pls. use this with discretion).

Going back to the lack of answer, I couldn’t help but wonder why. Yes, it was more than let’s say, a cure for a small illness or that ‘it not rain while I am out’. And when I speak to God, I tell Him, Lord its just as easy for you to give me a meal of rice and lentils as it is for you to grant me a mansion overlooking the sea! And believe me I tried to fathom for long why God didn’t answer. Before I speak about it, let’s look at some instances when God does not answer prayer. Though not conclusive, it does give an insight into some spiritual realities, we live with all the time.

David after his sin with Bathsheba was not answered because of his sin, 2 Sam. 12:15-23. In a situation of sin, God will not answer prayer if you are not repentant or if you’ve not made up with Him. Then again if your prayer is frivolous or oozing pride, do not expect God to answer e.g. prayer of the Pharisee, Lk. 18:10-14. There are many other types of prayer that really speaking are not prayers but mere conditions we lay upon God and which conditions we want fulfilled e.g. Jonah’s prayer for death (Jonah 4;3), my desire to go abroad or live in a mansion, etc.

But at times, God does not answer a prayer because He wants us to achieve more later. That’s exactly what I believe God wants in my case. The situation is an eye-opener to me. Only let me say that when there is danger or an immediate need, rest assured, God will swoop down in our lives and remove the situation of need. Trust Him.