Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6
Sisters 💕 Philippians 4:6 is one of my life verses. It is a verse that has changed my life in many ways. It has not only rescued me from pits of anxiety and fear, but it has also taught me to pray and shown me that I can trust God with my life. This was a truth that Esther knew as well, which is why, from the time Mordecai called on her to make the plot to destroy the Jews known to the king, she insisted that she would only go before the king after a time of fasting and praying. Friends, may we always be so faithful to keep prayer at the forefront of the battles that we face.
Believing that God was with her, Esther does as Mordecai had instructed her. With courage and boldness, she reveals not only the slaughter planned for the Jews but the truth of who she is.
“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.”
Luke 1:25 NET
Do you ever pray and wonder if God is hearing you? Or perhaps you trust that He has heard you but find yourself questioning why He hasn’t answered or at the very least, why His answer was no. From the response of both Zechariah and Elizabeth in today’s story, I picture any or all three of these scenarios running through the minds of Zechariah and Elizabeth. I know they ran through mine every year for eight long years of praying and waiting for a child. I felt the disgrace among the people as more and more of my friends were pregnant while I grew more and more bewildered, hurt, and angry, and less and less hopeful. Then, like Elizabeth, I knew it was Him who had allowed the eventual pregnancy and I was overwhelmed with the graciousness of His gift, and all these years later (33 to be exact) I still see glimpses of what I am certain were and are purposes in His timing.
I was thankful that I read the larger passage, which admittedly I had skipped over since I had read it so many times before (why oh why do we do this? I mean, can we ever read His Words too much). In looking back to confirm who was speaking in verse 25 and what “this” they were referring to, I was blessed by the beautiful story yet again. I was thankful for the reminder that God hears our prayers (13), and of His perfect timing (v25), His grace towards His people (vv14-17) – both as a nation and personally (vv14, 25), and His purposes in every answer (vv13-17). Granted, Zechariah’s prayers that day would have surely been for the nation of Israel but God’s assurance is that His answer would include the child for which I am certain they had personally prayed for. I am equally certain by Zechariah’s initial response (v18), that any hope of this prayer being answered with a child was given up long ago because of their age.
Turning Knowledge into Wisdom
On the heals of the recent study of God’s attributes and the encouragement to turn knowledge (facts) into wisdom (application of facts), I found myself following up my reading today with the question, “How do I take these facts and make application?”
FACTS [KNOWLEDGE]
Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people – faithful servants of God
They most likely had prayed for a child
They had remained childless into their ‘very old age’
They had given up hope of having a child
Elizabeth had dealt with disgrace because she was childless
Application of the facts [Wisdom]
Live as a faithful servant of God even when life doesn’t go as planned
Pray, and keep on praying and believing
Know that God doesn’t always say ‘yes’, but that His silence isn’t always a ‘no’
Keep hoping, don’t give up on God, He is able to do more than we ask or imagine
Recognize the answered prayers of God and acknowledge/praise Him for them
My Prayer Response to God
Father, “ancient words” are often easy to scan or to simply read and lay aside, as I was tempted to read only the SOAP verse You prodded me to look deeper, to see it with fresh eyes and a yielded heart to the Spirit’s teaching of these old but treasured words of truth and beauty. Words, that reminded and encouraged me that You hear the prayers of Your people, even when it would appear to our human understandings that You have not heard our cries. You always answer, your timing is always perfect, and Your actions are always purposeful- with the intention of carrying out Your will, which is good and pleasing and perfect – for the world and for Your people. For this I praise You – in and through the Name of Jesus, my Savior❣️ Amen!
Me From the Inside Out 