Jews put tassels on the 4 corners of their garments “to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, and not to follow after their own hearts and their own eyes (from Numbers 15:39).”
What prompts you to pray and obey?
Joseph was unjustly imprisoned. The Lord didn’t change his situation. Instead, “The Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love (Genesis 39:21).”
The Lord’s steadfast love don’t always look as we think it will.
Remember that as you pray.
You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful (James 5:11).
Give thanks to God as you patiently persevere.
When God allows you to walk through season of suffering let yourself remember the end of our story, which is really the beginning.
“God himself will be with us. He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things will be gone forever (Revelation 21:3-4).
Here’s how the Israelites worshiped God when He delivered them:
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously . . .
The Lord will reign forever and ever (Exodus 15:1-18)!”
Worship when God answers you.
The Lord had not yet delivered the Israelites, but, “When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped (Exodus 4:31).
People who are convinced God will answer their prayers worship as they wait.
Sometimes we pray for a long time without seeing change. Consider the Israelites and have hope.
They cried for help. God heard, remembered his covenant and knew it was time to act. But first, He appeared to Moses and told him the rescue plan. When Moses went to Egypt, life got harder for the Israelites. Even Moses said, “You have done nothing to rescue them (Exodus 5:23)!” God sent ten plagues, one at a time. The Israelites journeyed to and then through the Red Sea. That was when they finally saw God’s answer to their prayers.*
*Read the whole story in Exodus 1 -15.
Ask
Seek
Knock
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7 bold mine).
My favorite bookmark went missing. I prayed and looked everywhere but did not find it.
A week later I misplaced my phone. I prayed, and found the bookmark and my phone in the very first place I looked.
Always pray. Do not give up (from Luke 18:1). You never know when God will answer your prayer.
We pray. God does what we think He will. We pray about something else. God does not do what we think He will.
We choose to believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).
Our faith grows because faith is . . . being certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).
A Blog on Prayer 