“And when Zacharias saw Him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias; for thy prayer is heard...”
Luke 1:12-13 (a)
How do you respond when you realize that God has answered your prayer? –Do you drop to your knees in prayer, submission, and worship? –Do you dismiss it as a coincidence? –Or, do you simply not even recognize its occurrence?
Zacharias stood in questioning disbelief as the angel told him the specifics of his soon to be answered prayer for a son. Yet, this was the response to a prayer he and his wife had been waiting on for many years. So much so, that their bodies had aged out and their patience exhausted. Yet, when the response to his prayer finally came, God’s response was unrecognizable to him. Instead of jumping for joy, he questioned the angel Gabriel about its authenticity. And, because he questioned a personal message delivered by the archangel of God, he was stricken with the inability to speak for at least nine months.
Like Zacharias, there are times when God has responded to our prayers that we stand in disbelief, deciding that the occurrence must be coincidental or happenstance. Because, although we prayed for a desired outcome, many times we simply do not believe or recognize that there will be a bona fide response to our plea. We become the lone man in the ocean that is waiting on God for rescue, yet, refuses to take a passing canoe. Then God sends a yacht, and still he refuses to board, supposedly still waiting on Him. Finally, God sends an ocean liner, yet the man still refuses to board. When he dies, he asks God, “Why didn't You save me?” To which God responds, “I sent you three rescue boats, you dismissed them all.”
God’s paradigm is unlike ours; His response is often right in front of us. However, we must open our eyes to actually see it. We get so caught up in focusing on our problems, that we forget all the blessings that we have already received. Take the time to recognize your blessings as they appear; they may not come to you in the package that you originally expected. Today, let us remember to take the time to fully appreciate and offer gratitude for all the blessings we have in our lives. Since, no matter how massive our problems may appear, we know that we are already blessed by God. L.
**Now it is your turn to write your thoughts regarding today’s verse.
Study Reference: Luke 1:12-20
From: “Your Thoughts: "Thy Prayer Is Heard.” In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo credit: squarespace
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