God answers prayer according to his wisdom

I was sitting in the entrance of the Palmer Carrs-Safeway grocery store May 11 selling tickets for the Palmer Kiwanis Club, of which I am a member. This activity raises money for our club so we can help youths in the community. But sitting in the entrance to a busy store for two hours provides a unique opportunity. Not only did I get to talk to many people I know and some I don’t know that day, but this time also provided an opportunity for some “people watching.”

While talking with one person that Friday, I noticed another couple walking toward the front door of the store. As they passed me, the man’s phone rang. He took out his phone, looked at the number and then showed the number to his wife as the phone kept ringing. They looked at each other and put the phone away without answering it.

When I grew up, we always answered the phone when it rang. In fact, my brothers and sister and I often ran to the phone to be the first to answer. Of course, that was in the days of rotary dial phones and before solicitation calls. Perhaps I am dating myself.

I am now beginning to understand there are new rules of phone etiquette.

But, I confess that these new rules still surprise me. I have learned that today, with caller ID, and so many phone solicitations, people choose not to answer every call. I even confess that I have done the same at times. When the car repair shop called me recently while I was in the middle of an important meeting, I did let the phone ring and called back later.

What a blessing to know there is someone who always listens when we call. Children of God have found strength and comfort throughout the ages knowing that our Lord loves us and listens to us. King David, speaking by the Spirit, says in Psalm 17:6, wrote, “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” And the Apostle John writes in his first letter. “13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:13-14)

In other words, when we go to God he listens. God hears and he answers.

I am not saying that God always answers every prayer the way we desire. Consider Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The father did not “take the cup of suffering” from Jesus. Consider Paul’s prayer about the thorn in his flesh in 2 Corinthians 12. God did not take the thorn away. But, scripture says and, I believe, that God answers prayer according to his wisdom and love with our eternal welfare in mind.

God’s wisdom is beyond my understanding. I don’t always understand his answer to my prayers. But, just think, there is someone who does not put us on hold when we call. There is someone who does not refuse to answer. There is someone who always has time to listen. And that someone is the creator and lord of the universe! When our world can make us feel unwanted and unimportant because someone doesn’t want to listen, what a message of love to know that, “if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2268.