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Did My Prayer Get Lost In The Mail?
Jon Burgess“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1
Jesus follows up this parable about the resistant king and the persistent widow with a disturbing question: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Vs.8). There's a clear connection between persistent prayer and perpetual faith. Our faith was never meant to rise and fall based on the circumstances of our life or the speed of our answered prayers. We keep on praying because we have faith that God keeps on hearing us and answering in His perfect timing.
Ursula was sharing a story before we started journaling about her Mom Sandra. She wrote a letter, back when people used to actually write letters, to thank her mail lady who always handled all the packages she sent out. Through what I can only describe as ironic providence the letter never arrived at the mail ladies home until ten years later- the year her husband passed away and she desperately needed a word of encouragement. We can be thankful that our prayers never get lost in the mail, but sometimes it can feel that way. Our lack of patience regarding our prayer is only compounded by the mantra of instant gratification of our culture. A business cannot compete in today's market if it does not satisfy its customer's needs immediately. Therein lies the difference. God is not here to serve us. We are here to serve Him. Yet, because He is just and loves us so very much He serves us best by answering our prayers at just the right time. There was no expiration date on the words of Sandra's letter. There's no expiration date on the words of your prayers. Most important of all there's no expiration date on the promise Jesus speaks at the end of this parable: "And will not God bring justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting him off?" (Vs. 7). Our job is to persevere in prayer and God's job is to answer in His timing. We trust because our God is just.
I thought about all the prayers that haven't been answered yet from 2017. They aren't expired, You have heard them. In fact, You Lord have already set things in motion to see those answers come. I choose to put faith in Your character rather than my calendar. I will tarry, I will trust, I won't doubt the God who is just. You haven't lost my prayers in the mail. You are just waiting for the right time to deliver them. So, I will wait on You. This is the quiet revolution of humility.
