“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry” - Psalm 40:1 (NIV).
The American movie star, Arnold Swarzenegger is famous for a line, “I’ll be back” after an apparent defeat only to return and recoup his losses. In life there are those situations where we too seem to lose out against a certain promise and feel like giving up, especially as the years take their toll. God is telling any of us, today, not to give up, for “I will return!”
It was the same God who told an ageing childless couple, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son” (Gen 18:10). When Sarah, 91, and Abraham, 100, eventually gave birth to Isaac, Sarah who at first doubted said, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!” (Genesis 21:5-7).
A young fiery Moses wanted to liberate his people the Israelites when he struck down an Egyptian but was forced on the run after being discovered (Exodus 2:11-25). Out in the wilderness, for 40 years, he certainly must have felt abandoned and forgotten. But just as all seemed lost, God, of His own visited Moses in the bush and told him, “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10).
A committed and faithful couple, given to the Lord’s work, Zachariah and Elizabeth, were childless and getting along in the years. When God visited Zachariah and told him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John” (Luke 1:13), he shook with doubt. “Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years” (vv 18). But when Elizabeth eventually became pregnant, she was besides herself, “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (vv 25).
The same God who rebuked a doubting Balak, with a message “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Exodus 23:19), is the same God telling you today that, “I’ return”! He is saying that I will grant you that prayer request you have been nursing for years and thought was forgotten. But God has never forgotten you. For you are His child. Keep your faith up for God will sure come through as He did with the all his people through the ages!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I rise to give you a special thank for my prayer has been answered, and you have been so good to me, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
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17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
