annie's eyes

Truly, it was no more than a mustard seed of faith…I was going through some old books and found a prayer journal from six years ago. As I read each request from friends who had gathered to pray and some of my own heart’s pleadings, I wondered at God’s faithfulness and mercy at how each had come to fruition. Looking back, Ebenezer stones, remembrances of His faithfulness, marked my journey. Some requests were faith-filled, some were half-hearted (when pigs fly, but I’ll offer it anyway.) Some were desperate cries from a mother’s heart for healing, one a forlorn wife’s last ditch effort at reconciliation, another a grandmother’s hope in the next generation.

One prayer request brought streaming tears of gratitude to my eyes:

“9 January 2006  for C: a healing miracle that doctors are able to get every bit of the tumor, that there are no side effects that last and no recurrence, for his peace in next weeks of waiting; and guidance in another career for his life.”

I couldn’t wait to call my friend and read it to her and we would marvel together. At the time of her request, her grown child had a brain tumor that jeopardized his entire future and was robbing him of a career that he had spent his life in preparation for. It was serious. We were scared. But God saw every detail through in mighty ways. In the last six years, he’s experienced total healing, married, has two kids, and is back full time in his career of choice. Any one of those things were almost too much to hope for in those dark days but we prayed desperate prayers with his mom. At that time, she would have given anything to see any part of those prayers come true. Yesterday, I read her the prayer request on the phone, and it almost seemed taken for granted. It fell flat. Maybe she just couldn’t go back there where all that pain lived. Maybe she had too many new troubles on her plate, but I was stunned. She quickly dismissed the topic for the new day’s woes. However, as I read on in the prayer journal, I realized my vision and understanding was blurred by the log in my own eye.

In that same journal, another prayer totally took me by surprise. God had answered the deepest desire of my own heart long after I quit praying for it. Just this past fall, the prayer was answered, and I thought at that time, I haven’t asked for that in years! And I thanked Him then, but not adequately.  As I read my prayer request from years before, I remembered the flood of longing I felt as I asked God. In fact, I mostly recall the hopelessness I had with it. I was almost afraid to ask for it for the depth of fear if it had been rejected, even though I knew it was God’s desire, too. Somehow, I couldn’t pray with faith. It was too big and, certainly, too much to hope for. Looking back, it was a big deal. And it required nothing more than going to the Mountain Mover with the uttered plea.  Today, that particular chapter still has some pages to be written, but a brand new door opened that I would have sworn was permanently shut. And I testify that Jesus moves mountains!

So, with renewed extravagant Grace, I say to you this day, speak to your mountain in the mighty Name of Jesus, and believe that it has already been thrust into the sea. And He will most certainly answer.

Mark 11:23-24 ~”Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

A beautiful Lenten song…hope you enjoy!

Thankfully, He hasn’t given up on me in the area of service to Him. Picking up where I left off in the last post, the best way to get out of a rut is to be about something besides our pitiable selves! Serving is a higher calling. Not simply volunteering, but serving. A volunteer gets to choose where and how and if he is willing to help in areas. A volunteer does what he does of his own volition, but a servant does his work out of overflow from a heart that has been called. Truly, there is no such thing as volunteering in the church-we are servants unto the Lord.  As Christians, we are not our own boss. He calls us–no, compels us, to move toward others, to feel their need, Simply put, He calls us to be about something bigger, something more everlasting.

As I was reading in Exodus this morning, it was clear that He had pre-equipped and specially selected whom He would call to build the tabernacle. They were ready because He gave them everything they needed. As they built the tabernacle, God put His vision into the hearts of Moses and the builders, equipped them with every fine skill needed, and provided leadership, the materials, and the desire to create a full-scale replica heaven on earth. (Heb. 8:5) They were ready and able and willing because He had planted it in their hearts firs then their hands. Divinely called, compelled by the need before them, they answered as servants unto Him.

Imagine what we can do (and the eternal significance!) when we are serving, hearing from Him, and moving in the direction He calls. Where would He have us serve this day?

“Hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20)