Surprised and Thankful at God's Answers to Our Prayers

On Wednesday, October 4, I was reading my Bible and praying during my personal devotional time. The reading was from Nehemiah 2 and 3. The previous day in chapter 1, Nehemiah receives word that, “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and it’s gates destroyed.” (Nehemiah 1:3) Nehemiah wept. In chapter two the Persian king asks Nehemiah, his cup bearer, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” (Nehemiah 2:2) After Nehemiah’s answer, the Persian king sends him to rebuild the city and the temple. The devotional writer comments concerning Nehemiah’s prayer of the heart, “More often than you might think, God uses us as part of His answer to our own prayers.” Or, perhaps you have also heard the tongue-in-cheek saying, “Watch what you pray for.”

I personally know the truth of those sayings. Over 30 years ago, when I served as pastor in Jacksonville, FL, we had been facing a long hot, dry spell. I prayed in our worship service for rain. Hmmm! You know what happened. It rained and rained and rained. One of my members asked me, “Pastor, please stop praying for rain!”

The words of my devotional writer, however, reminded me of my recent prayer experience. My prayer list includes many individuals and situations. I pray for those in need. I also give thanks to God for answers to prayers. Among my prayers for God’s church was a prayer for First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL. This is the congregation my family and I attended as I grew up in Florida. It is also where Kathy and I worship when we visit Florida and our family there. COVID was tough on First Lutheran, so I have been praying for them. In addition, as I prayed for myself, my prayer was that God would use my retirement for ministry in his church.

Well, in July, while at our fishing cabin in Alaska, I received a phone call from my brother, James. I thought this was a “brother phone call.” But, James is also District President for the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church. It was not a “brother phone call.” It was a “church business phone call.” James informed me that the people of First Lutheran Church had asked for me to serve as their vacancy pastor. When Kathy and I left Florida in May, Pastor John Glover was still serving First Lutheran. In fact, Pastor Glover’s family stayed at our Florida home for the graduation of his daughter from high school. Nevertheless, the Lord led Pastor Glover to take a call to serve elsewhere, and now First Lutheran needed a pastor to serve until they get a permanent full-time pastor. I was shocked. However remember, “More often than you might think, God uses us as part of His answer to our own prayers.” Or, “Watch what you pray for!”

In all honesty, these sayings are good news. Jesus teaches in The Sermon on the Mount, “7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8). Our Heavenly Father hears our prayers and answers them. Another assurance of God’s love comes from Romans 8:31-2, “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Our Lord gives His Son, and all that we need.

It is good news that God loves us, that He listens to our prayers, and that our Lord’s answer to those prayers are found in Jesus. Ultimately, God’s forgiving and saving love in Jesus is exactly what we need. It IS good news that God listens. It IS good news that our Lord uses us to do His ministry. It really IS good news that God says yes to us through His saving Love in Jesus1

What are you praying about? How might God use you?