Everyone I saw yesterday was bummed out about the election. One person in particular was especially melancholy, because she really loves her country and like me thinks this election is the beginning of the end of the good old USA.
In attempting to make sense of what happened I reminded my good friend that prayer is always answered, but alas sometimes the answer is “NO”. Even Jesus Christ asked His Father that if there was any way possible to spare Him His ordeal on the cross, to please do so, but then He added, “Nonetheless Lord, YOUR will be done, and not mine”, (emphasis mine).
That is the attitude we are to emulate.
It is analogous to me to a little child reaching for a red hot burner on a grill. The parent sees this and yells, “NO!” The child thought it would be great fun to grab the colorful burner and that the parent is being mean to them for interfering with their fun, but the parent who has far greater knowledge than the youngster knows the child would get badly burned if it were allowed its desires. Even if it starts squalling and wants to touch it anyway, the parent will not allow it.
How much more so will a loving God protect His children in similar fashion? Again, sometimes the answer to our prayers and desires is “no”, and we should humbly accept His decision and move on with our lives and not dwell on it.
Often it is not that black and white and we cannot understand why something bad has to happen. I once prayed and prayed and prayed for my brother’s young son, “Little Bob”, (yes he was named after me). He was just five years old but he had a brain tumor. Little Bob died a slow painful death in spite of my prayers.
Even today it is difficult for me to see how anything good came from this experience, but I still have faith in the Bible and I know Little Bob is not suffering any more, in fact he is walking on streets of gold with Jesus in unimaginable bliss and will do so forever.
Our country will suffer because of its decision to elect an immoral evil man as its leader. “We” will suffer when his anti-Christ agenda is further implemented. Maybe that is what this country needs in order to awaken it and make people realize that we must return to God if we want to be blessed. And then maybe this is a continuation of the countdown to the Rapture and the destruction of this world, and is just one of the necessary steps that will be taken as God allows its destruction.
God always answers prayer sometimes with a “yes” or “no”, but also with a “not now”. David Wilkerson once said, “Abraham prayed for a child, and God answered. Yet, how many years went by before he held that child in his arms? Every faithful prayer is heard the moment it is prayed, but God chooses to answer in His own way and in His own time. Meanwhile, God expects us to rejoice in the naked promises and feast on hope while we wait for the fulfillment. Also, he wraps His denials in the sweet package of love, to prevent us from falling into despair.”
As for me I don’t want to waste time stewing over it. It’s like getting mad because it rains. It doesn’t stop the rain and just stresses us out. I say click the “Next” button and move on.
Last night I went to a shelter for recovering addicts and we sang hymns, shared prayer and testimony, and glorified God. I didn’t think about any of this stuff. I just celebrated God’s love with some new friends and we had a good time. That’s what we should be doing with the little amount of time that we have left folks.
We have all of eternity to enjoy, but just a short time left on this earth. Half the world would end up in hell if Christ came today. We can lead some of those to salvation if we would only focus on them and not this sick world and what we think we could do to save it if God would only allow us that job title.
The answer was “NO!” or “Not now” – Get over it – Remember God loves us so much He allowed His own Son to die for our sins – Now go to work.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.