Saturday

One evening six-year-old Bobby asked his father for a pet.  “Sorry, son,” his father said, “not now.  But if you pray real hard for two months, perhaps God will send you a baby brother.”

Bobby prayed faithfully for a month, but it seemed futile to pray longer so he gave up.

How surprised he was, when a month later, a little boy arrived at their home, or so Bobby thought when he saw a squirming bundle beside his mother.  His proud father drew back the cover and Bobby saw another baby.  Twins!

“Aren’t you glad you prayed for a baby brother?” asked his father.

“I sure am,” said the boy.  “But aren’t you glad I stopped praying when I did?”

Sometimes, like Bobby, we are tempted to give up prayer when it doesn’t seem to be “working”.  Like the souls under the altar in Rev. 5 9-10, we cry out, “How long, O Lord [before you answer our prayers]?  And we sometimes don’t like the answer given by God, “…..a little while longer….” (Rev. 5:11).

But there is not a prayer uttered by one of God’s children that God does not hear and that does not touch his heart.  That’s doesn’t mean that we are guaranteed to receive everything we pray for, but prayer changes things — it truly does make a difference — and so we need to be careful not to get discouraged and give up.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”  (James 5:16b)

Have a great day!