answered prayer – Page 3

Jeremiah 42:1-22 – Ask God First

Ask Knock Matthew 7 words against sun shining through clouds

Is it easier to ask permission or seek forgiveness? I can remember as a youth wanting to do something that instinctively I knew my parents would forbid. So, if I were to go through with it, I’d be asking for forgiveness instead. That is certainly not easy! While I was a rebellious teen, I did try to ask for permission as often as possible!

In our passage today, we see the leaders seeking God’s input to their situation. The people approached Jeremiah and asked him to pray to God. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? But it was almost as if their fingers were crossed behind their backs. They were putting on a good show, weren’t they?

Jeremiah 14:19-22 – When God is Silent

Read Jeremiah 14:19-22

God doesn’t respond here to Jeremiah’s cry for answers. What do you make of his non-response? Does God assume that by now Jeremiah would understand what is coming? Perhaps Jeremiah didn’t expect the timeline of events to be happening so soon. Perhaps Jeremiah still hoped God would change his mind.

How do you behave when you’re waiting for God to answer your prayers? Are you patient or persistent? Sometimes I feel like a broken record repeating the same prayers over and over. In that way I’m persistent, but I can’t say I’m all that patient.

2 Kings 20:1-11 – Can God Change His Mind?

Read 2 Kings 20:1-11

Have you ever been part of a discussion where the topic is “whether God ever changes his mind?” This is especially a key concept for our prayer lives. Hezekiah didn’t want to die, and he made that abundantly clear to God in his prayers. God’s mind had been made up, as we can see through Isaiah’s prediction of Hezekiah’s death.

This notion the king wouldn’t survive this illness wasn’t Isaiah’s idea. Nobody just makes up the idea somebody else is going to die and then say it’s a word from God. Do they? No, Hezekiah’s time was coming, and God wanted him to know. Knowing when you’re going to die, that, in and of itself is amazing! How many people get privy to “intel” like that? I’m sure it was infrequent in Hezekiah’s day, too.

2 Kings 19:20-31 – When You Can Breathe Again

Read 2 Kings 19:20-31

cartoon of ant carrying large item while sweating and panting

Think of a time when you finally received a good word after spending hours (maybe even days) on pins and needles because of an unfolding catastrophe. And then it happened. A resolution. A light seen at the end of the tunnel. Remember that sense of being free to breathe, like a weight had just been removed from your chest?

Do you think that’s what Hezekiah may be feeling when he finally hears from Isaiah? We know Hezekiah’s heart has been extremely troubled, feeling torn into different directions. Sometimes we have a pull on our own loyalties. What happens if your loved one doesn’t believe in Jesus like you do?

2 Samuel 17:15-23 – Networking

Read 2 Samuel 17:15-23

3 women walking with purpose down a path with back packs, holding hands

David has a strong network keeping him safe. Yet, the one who is truly in charge is God.

It’s like that for us, too. We have family and friends cheering us on, keeping our best interests in mind. Even more important, God is present, hovering and protecting. His protection can often involve a learning experience.

What do you think of David’s daringly effective intelligence network? Brilliant together, yet each has a job to do–a bit of espionage in this story of David and Absalom’s dispute. I’m not sure David is as upset with Absalom as it appears Absalom is with his father. What brought that on, do you suppose? Could it be that David ignored the situation when Amnon raped Absalom’s sister?