God Is a Prayer Answerer

When I was teaching 8th grade, I divided my class into groups to work on a project. That year, I had a class that wasn't . . . shall we say . . . as agreeable as some classes I've had. For the project they were beginning, I tried to divide the groups by talents/skills that the students said they had. My goal was to have a researcher, writer, artist, etc in each group. (a heterogeneous group as we teachers say)

One of my students refused to work with her group. She felt like the others would not do their parts. She had a reason to be concerned. She wasn't at the top of the class herself, but she wanted to work with those who would try to create a good project.

I understood how she felt, but I did not want to change the groups and open that can of worms. I felt that she could work with them and do the best she could. There's no way I would penalize her for what her group wouldn't do. My main concern was that I could not have rebellion in my class.

At the time, I was keeping a prayer journal. I wrote about what I prayed and when God answered. I prayed about this situation. I asked for wisdom. I prayed that God would work it out. I had to be careful how I prayed. I couldn't ask God to make her think like I thought. That's not cool. That would be controlling. God gives us a will and He gives us choices. I couldn't try to take her choice away with my prayer; still I needed peace in my classroom. God would have to do this because I certainly could not.

Within a few days, my student came to me and said she would work with her group. I thanked her; I thanked God more.

For some reason as I thought about God answering prayer, this incident came to mind. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but it was important to me.

God wants to answer us.

¹ Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
   to you our vows will be fulfilled.
² O you who hear prayer,
   to you all men will come.

⁵ You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
   O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
   and of the farthest seas, Psalm 65:1-2, 5 NIV

The Bible is full of examples of God answering the prayers of His people. He answers great and small requests. He is our hope from the ends of the earth and across the seas.

He gives us promises to stand on to know that He will answer. One such promise Jesus left is found in John 15:7 NKJV

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

He promises that if we do our part, He will do His. That sounds like an open invitation to me.

Pray for the Lights to Come On--Ephesians 1:17-20

This next life story is so dumb I can't believe I'm sharing it. After you read it, we can act like it never happened.

I was riding in the car with my brother at dusk one summer evening. He was driving and I was trying to read something. Panic started creeping upon me when I realized I could not see what I was reading. I mean I could see it . . . but it was difficult . . . it was dark. I'm going blind. Man, what's up with my ey . . .

Hmmm, I'm not used to wearing sunglasses. They must have felt very comfortable on my face since I didn't notice I was wearing them. *blush*

Of course spiritual sight can be darkened as well. Many years ago I read how someone prayed scripture about the "eyes of your understanding." I began praying those scriptures daily. I still pray them today, but not as much as I need to. But I saw God answer that prayer. I began to understand the scriptures better—like taking off the sunglasses—or like the light being turned on.

This prayer fits perfectly with the reading scriptures about who God is. In Ephesians 1:17-20, the apostle Paul was writing to let the church at Ephesus know how he was praying for them. I've rewritten it as a personal prayer. And here I have used two versions of the Bible so you can choose whichever works best for you.

Father, I pray that You will give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who You are, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened; that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe, according to the working of Your mighty power which You worked in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places,                                                                         -from Ephesians 1:17-20 NKJV

I am asking You, God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give me spiritual wisdom and insight so that I might grow in my knowledge of You.  I pray that my heart will be flooded with light so that I can understand the confident hope You have given to those You called—Your holy people who are Your rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that I will understand the incredible greatness of Your power for us who believe You. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at Your right hand in the heavenly realms.                                                               -from Ephesians 1:17-20 NLT

I'm going to try to remember to pray these scriptures each time before I read God Is. My prayer is that as we read the booklet, the light will come on for us and we will have a better understanding of Him. Amen.