Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

My daughter and her family live in Peru as missionaries. They come up to visit us for a month each summer and it’s such precious time with them. Having my two granddaughters for that time is a slice of Heaven.  One early evening my granddaughter Macy and I went out for a walk. She was seven years old at the time. She was talking about something she really wanted and I asked her if she had prayed about it yet. She hadn’t so I said, “Come on Macy, let’s pray about that right now.” She looked up at me with almost a sad look and said, “Papa, I don’t think God always hears my prayers.”

I asked her why she’d say that and she said, “I’ve asked Him for some things lately and it doesn’t seem like He cares.” I put my arms around her and said, “Come here Macy, I want to give you a big hug.” With my arms around her I said, “Now let me tell you something. I love you more than I can find words to describe.” When I hug you, it’s like eating a meal but still feeling hungry. I can can never get enough. That’s how I feel when I hug you” “Do you know why I feel that way? I feel that way because I love you so much.” She said, “I love you too, Papa.” “Okay, but here is the deal, as much as I love you, it could never compare to how much God loves you. He loves you even more. Sometimes I get busy with stuff, but God never gets busy with stuff. He is God, He can think about and love each one of us no matter how many of us there are. That’s what makes Him God and why His love is so great!” I continued, “And you know what? He always hears your prayers. Always!” She looked up at me and said, “Papa, then why doesn’t He answer everything I ask?” “He does Macy,” I told her. “It’s just that you think He is going to answer your prayers in a particular way and He does it better. That means it’s not always going to happen when and how you expect it. So, you better keep your faith and trust turned on and your eyes open, because you will see your answer come if you keep expecting. It will just be better than what you even asked for!”

The primary way God brings blessing, including answers to prayer, is through people. His people are called the church. Anytime you have people involved, God works to influence their heart, leading them to respond to His direction. When they do, prayers are answered quickly. When they don’t, God looks for other people or other ways to answer your prayer. God will work through angels or independently of people if He has to, but if you read His word you’ll see time and time again, that He desires to use people. And, He likes to do things in a way that is far beyond what we could ask or think. Look at the following verses and see these three things: God uses people—His church. He does this so that they can be an extension of Him and so that He will be gloried and draw more people to Himself. See also that He does beyond what we ask or think. And see that He responds to people exercising obedience to His leading by faith.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT) “Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.”

Matthew 9:1-8 (NIV) “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. SOME MEN BROUGHT to Jesus a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven…” “…then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.”

Does God care and is He paying attention? If this is a question for you, go get away into a quiet place, and approach the Lord and let Him put His arms around you and tell you how much He loves you. Those words will come to you through His Word. You can have this kind of moment as you lift your heart of love to Him. And He does and will answer your prayer. You just need to quit putting Him in a box and let Him be God and do it beyond what you could ask or think and in His way and in His timing!

1 John 5:14-15 (NIV) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of Him.

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt 

Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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