#139 Answered prayers ( 1 jun 07)

'Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you'
1 Peter 5:7

As I gave another one of my furtive glances at my watch today, time seems to tick by at a snail's pace and that hoped for phone call seems to take all eternity to come.
This scene does remind me of those old black and white suspense movies on television in the genre of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, but unfortunately, this wasn't a re-run, so I have no idea of its conclusion.

'Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth..'
Proverbs 27:1

We tend to be confident, when we seem to be on top of the world, with all pertinent matters under our control. The gastric juices tend to churn a lot more when we are dealing with uncertainties, especially when the conclusion is about to culminate.
If physical expression is the qualifier, than the most spontaneous display of prayerfulness must be in the temples of mammon, where many seek instantaneous wealth. Where might this be,? The querulous need not look furthur than the Turf club for the horse lovers, the Pachinko machines and the casinos, be it on land or in the high seas.

'Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him'
Proverbs 26:12

Wisdom are for the birds, unless a metamorphosis into an owl is your heartfelt desire. King Solomon asked for wisdom from the Lord our God. He was granted it, and he used it well for a while, but soon after, he foolishly tripped over his own wisdom, by creating a well diversified harem across countries and beliefs. Marital union with the heathen as a means towards pacifying Israel's enemies and bringing about general peace seemed wise, but it was in clear disobedience to God's command to him.

'…baptism…..the pledge of a good conscience towards God'
1 Peter 3:21

Many who repented and accept the offer of salvation from God knows that they have invited the Holy Spirit into their lives and that they have entered into a convenant with the Lord our God.
The Holy Spirit will be our guide, teacher and friend in our transformation into Christlikeness, as we are being made ready to receive the return of Jesus Christ.
Our old self is gone, and we take on the new self. We have committed to recognize the Sovereignty of the Lord our God in our lives, we have committed to let go and let Him, in obedience and trust. Faith is that bind that holds our relationship with God.

In reality, transformation is a process of letting go and letting God, and while God could transform us literally at the blink of an eyelid, He gives us all a freewill and our imperfections will often act as a brake to our transformation.

'Don't fear what they fear, don’t be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord'
1 Peter 3:13-14

Unlike some, I don’t made a meal of my finger nails when I am nervous. But like many, my heart is a flutter, my nerves are a little taut, my mind conjures all the possibilities and I am just dying to see things come to a fruition. Prayers have always been a key component of my armoury and in the past, even as a part-time Christian, God is whom I will assail verbally with my repeated requests for my desired result(though not now anymore, for it is not our will, but His that matters)

By most of our behaviour, we tend to treat God as a 'fair-weather' friend(more us never ). We thank Him that briefly when things go our way, and then we are soon on our way without Him, or if our prayers(or more like demands) are not answered, He is the one Who has disappointed us, the One for us to lay all blame sqaurely upon.

'…and be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear……..'
1 Peter 3:15

I am still learning to truly let go. But God knows our imperfections and limits. I have learned that by ourselves, we can never overcome our deceitful selves and the wiles of the devil. God knows that. He gives us all a free will, and He wants us to willingly return that gift by submitting to Him, For in submitting to God, can we be able to resist the devil and then will the devil flee from us.

'Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…'
James 4:7-8

What is submission??

It is doing what God wills, not what we will. My penning this sharing today, is what we in modern day parlance,termed as reality tv. A while back, some of us might recall the episode involving the Japanese commercial plane that had a problem with its landing gear. It had to circle for quite some time up in the air, to burn up excess fuel before making an emergency landing. The plane was equipped with a video camera and the passengers on board could see live pictures of their very own plane, as it hovered in the air. Imagine if the plane was about to crash land and you are in the plane and yet could see almost the near ending on your screen.

A bit of digression in my thoughts here(my excuse being I am a little nervous as 4pm draws near, but truly, are we truly able and be prepared to live our lives and faith as described in 1 Peter 3:15?
God gives us all wisdom and with it, we will be equipped to deal with most issues of life. But, like the final chasm that we still have to cross, man plans, God directs and often, we are asked to take that 'invisible' leap of faith.

Patience and perserverance are virtues of Christlikeness, and while we wait, are we prepared to continue to love, to show kindness and selflessness, commands of God that applies to all seasons and situations, even when we are just dying to see the conclusion of our desire(s)?

'Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.'
1 John 4:7

God will answer all our prayers, when asked in His will.

Many have asked, "How do they know that they are asking correctly in His will?"

The only formuliac answer to that would be a heart that seeks the Lord our God with all his heart, soul and mind. A heart that acknowleges God in all his ways and the Lord will make His path straight.
You will know God's will, if your heart is align with His.

I like to believe that mine is moving to a closer correlative relationship with His. Suffice to say, my prayers will be answered and indeed, God has always.
The interesting thing I have learned is that our prayers will be answered, but it will be in His way and timing, not ours.

'O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Thy will be done'
Matthew 26:42

Often, we get a little distraught, possibly disappointed and a mite disillusioned, because we are still looking at events from our imperfect and blinkered hearts, It is better, while we wait, to take time with the Lord our God, rather than spend time and energy scurrying like the mad-hatter, and when the so called finality arrives, that we be thankful for all things, and learn to look from the perspective of the Lord our God.

For truly God provides and He has provided.

God Blesses

Eng Hieang


Note
- It is past 4pm. Has my prayers been answered??

'He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked
1 John 2:-4-6