When The Old Preacher Prayed
By Carol Blansett
It was a day when my heart was heavily burdened for friends and decisions being made in their lives. I had prayed for several days for God to open the spiritual eyes of those concerned and show His love to them as only He can.
I knew this opened the door for His will and way to be done and prayed for the lives involved in the decision making process. I hoped that in His mercy He would not have to get people’s attention in a way that impacted lives in an emergency, but I had to leave it with Him. That’s a very hard thing to do!
In praying and ruminating about the facts in my head over which I had no control except to pray after I had advised as much as I could, I found myself awash in essentially begging God over and over for my loved ones.
That day, into the reception area where I work walked an old black preacher man whom I’ve known for over 20 years. “The Rev’ has a varied ministry in the city and surrounding areas and really gets around. He was telling me of going to Michigan to preach a funeral and how people took care of him there and invited him back sometime, though, hopefully not for the same reason!
Upon his leaving my desk after a little chat, I asked him to pray for my loved ones. He saw that I was not going to mention details, and I expected him to say he would remember to pray and go on his way.
However, this preacher man immediately bowed his head and called down Heaven to the God of thunder and lightening. He reminded God that He is the same yesterday, today and always. I knew that. I revel in that fact! I praise Him for that often! How rich we are in the Word He has written to us for our benefit!
How sweet was ~ this preacher man’s talk with God! He then praised God that it is already done. I suddenly realized that in begging and pleading with God I was not fully exercising my faith and what I know about God. He has Jesus there on His mighty right hand to intercede for us in distress when we cannot make sense of what to pray or how to say it. He is able to take our meager offerings of praise and gratitude, interspersed with pleadings, and make sense of it.
Thank You, God ~ for opening MY spiritual eyes! You are mighty and awesome, a very present help in time of trouble. You are worthy of all our praise. I come to You thirsty. You are truly able to water me, inside and out when I am parched and thirsty. Dump a bucket upon me, Lord!
"O, Come, Magnify the Lord with me, for He is good. His mercies are new every morning.” In Jesus’ name, Amen and Amen.
Copyright © November 2007– Carol Blansett. All rights reserved.
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