(3 min read)  It is late April and it is in the 40s……. Crazy cold weather. This reminded me with a story that happened in the dead of this last winter. The house Tracy lived in used oil for heating. Tracy did not have enough money to pay for the oil. So they went without heat in the house. What else to do? The only thing Tracy knew is to pray and pray real hard that God would provide money so they can pay for an oil delivery so the kids are not so miserable. 10 days went by, and day after day Tracy prayed, and she also asked the two children to pray, asking for money so they can pay for the oil.

Wouldn’t you know it! It was late afternoon on Thursday, the 11^th day without heat that an oil truck appeared in front of the house. Tracy, after an initial, ‘Oh my God’ moment, figured the driver had the wrong address. Tracy actually met the driver halfway across the driveway, smiled and said, “Hi, you probably have the wrong address. Tracy was amazed, shocked, stunned and flabbergasted to realize that there is no mistake in the address. Tracy expressed, “But I have no money to pay for this oil”.

“I have it here that it has already been paid for”, the driver explained.

Tracy simply had no words to utter. Tear drops came, a smile flared, turned around rushed into the house and chanted, “Hey kids, prayer works, prayer works.” A loving person called into the oil company and prepaid for the oil. This is a fantastic end to a heart warming story, but there is something wrong here, at least in my humble opinion there is;

Do we not believe that God knows our needs?  Of course God does know
Do we believe that our Lord is distracted and is not aware of MY situation?  Of course the Lord is aware of my situation
Do we believe that our Creator only responds when we ask?  Of course not
Do we not believe that our Lord, God and Creator is present with each one at all times? Of course we do believe that

Then our behaviors; fervently asking for a specific thing, asking others to pray for a specific thing, speaking in prayer as if trying to get the Lord’s attention, even being surprised when it happens and teaching our children the same. All such behaviors contradict what we say we believe………….
So which is it? Is it what we do or is it what we profess, that is what we are??

So what is the behavior that may reflect our beliefs?

Tracy prays “thank you Lord for ….(endless options)…” with the children praying along, YES while in the cold shivering
Tracy prays “if it is your will that we stay without heat, I do know YOU are with us through it”
When asked should we pray for you, “please pray giving thanks that the Lord is strengthening us.”

Too idealistic you may think or say! But don’t you agree that it is indeed more reflective of our beliefs!?

Let us indeed reflect what we say we believe, and more importantly apply what Jesus our Lord has taught us, so that our children will grow closer and closer to our Lord, Creator and Father.

If you feel the need to ask for something, ask for “crushing my vanity, crushing my desires and crushing my pride, crushing my……..”