Learning How to Pray, Part 2
So, in the time since I wrote the post "Learning how to pray", I've come to a few realizations and had some time to think. I'd like to say, "...time to pray", but in reality, it was more just letting my thoughts wander and hoping God was listening in. So we'll call it thinking. And now, where to start?
Prayer isn't always answered the way we think it should be, and that should be okay. See, that's all part of faith. I mean, sure, sometimes faith is about believing that the sun will stand still. But sometimes faith means knowing that even if the sun doesn't stand still, God still knows what he's doing. I forget so often that I don't always know what's best, I don't have the advantage of seeing the end result. But more than that, I forget the faith part, the part that says even if I don't get it, it's still okay. An example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Or, if you are a talking vegetable, "Rack, Shack, and Benny". (I love VeggieTales!) Anyways, moving on. So, we're in Daniel 3, and to make a long story short, the King says that everyone needs to bow down and worship this giant gold statue he's made. These 3 guys (Rack, Shack, and Benny) won't disrespect God by doing this. The king gets mega-ticked. He tells them to worship the image, or be thrown into a furnace to be burned alive. This is where it gets good. These guys basically tell the king to shove it:
"16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty's hand. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'" (All emphasis mine)
See? They got it. EVEN IF He chooses to let us die, that's okay. EVEN IF He doesn't give me what I want, He is still my God. My amazing, wonderful, incredible God.
My God knows what he's doing. My God is incredible, capable of anything and everything. My God can do the impossible. My God is MY GOD, and He is amazing. The fact that he loves me is incredible, unbelievable, and terribly wonderful.
More on this later.
Prayer isn't always answered the way we think it should be, and that should be okay. See, that's all part of faith. I mean, sure, sometimes faith is about believing that the sun will stand still. But sometimes faith means knowing that even if the sun doesn't stand still, God still knows what he's doing. I forget so often that I don't always know what's best, I don't have the advantage of seeing the end result. But more than that, I forget the faith part, the part that says even if I don't get it, it's still okay. An example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Or, if you are a talking vegetable, "Rack, Shack, and Benny". (I love VeggieTales!) Anyways, moving on. So, we're in Daniel 3, and to make a long story short, the King says that everyone needs to bow down and worship this giant gold statue he's made. These 3 guys (Rack, Shack, and Benny) won't disrespect God by doing this. The king gets mega-ticked. He tells them to worship the image, or be thrown into a furnace to be burned alive. This is where it gets good. These guys basically tell the king to shove it:
"16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If the God we serve is able to deliver us, then he will deliver us from the blazing furnace and from Your Majesty's hand. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'" (All emphasis mine)
See? They got it. EVEN IF He chooses to let us die, that's okay. EVEN IF He doesn't give me what I want, He is still my God. My amazing, wonderful, incredible God.
My God knows what he's doing. My God is incredible, capable of anything and everything. My God can do the impossible. My God is MY GOD, and He is amazing. The fact that he loves me is incredible, unbelievable, and terribly wonderful.
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