Answered Prayers
Author:
January 09, 2019
“Do not be afraid, Daniel.
Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble
yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to
them.” – Daniel 10:12, NIV
Zach was upset when he was in
Sunday school last week. His teacher, Herb, reached out to find what was
troubling the boy. He tried to deny it but it was obvious something was wrong.
Finally, he admitted. “My
dad’s using again. My mom doesn’t want me to know but I heard them fighting
about it.”
Herb nodded. Zach’s father was
on his prayer list regularly. “That’s a lot to carry around, isn’t it?”
Zach sighed. “I keep praying
that God would heal my dad. You said He could do anything so why is He taking
so long?”
Herb thought for a moment.
“You know Daniel in the Bible? He prayed for weeks for an answer from God. When
an angel arrived to talk with Daniel, he explained that he’d been dispatched
the moment Daniel began praying.”
Zach leaned forward, listening
intently. “So, why did it take so long then?”
“The angel shared with Daniel
that he’d encountered an evil spirit who blocked his path. Sometimes, God
answers right away but we don’t see the answer immediately. That means we have
to keep the faith and keep praying.”
What circumstances have you
encountered that made you question God’s timing? What would you say to a boy
like Zach?
God, I pray for children like Zach. It’s hard when one of
your parents is an addict. Please set those bound in chains free. Comfort
children like Zach and surround them with kind adults who love them. In Jesus’
name, Amen.
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