Lessons from Puppets

Last week at Student Convention, two of my students presented a puppet show entitled, "Prayer Lessons." It was a nice script (written by a friend of mine), but oh what a powerful message! The idea of the script was that God answers prayers in three ways: Yes, No, and Wait. Such a simple lesson, yet so deep in its ramifications!

Just because God does not answer like we expect Him to does NOT mean that He has not answered. Too often I assume that my prayers are not reaching heaven simply because God has not answered me, when in fact, He has; He has just not answered like I "wanted". I just need to trust Him with the "Wait" answers and believe in His loving hand with the "No" answers.

This morning God showed me that He does answer prayer-- even "little" ones! He answers when His children call to Him out of a clean heart. So... PRAY, knowing that God will answer "Yes!" or "No," or "Wait"!

Dots and Duckies

As a (sometimes) analytical person, I enjoy having my life "line up." I want to know what I'm doing each day, why I'm doing it, and what needs to be done for the next who-knows-how-many days. I envision my life as a row of rubber duckies all sweetly lined up, with every ducky in its little ducky compartment. Sometimes, I even envision two or three rows of duckies lined up, just in case one ducky should "fall down", then there is always a "back-up" ducky to take its place. Or, I envision my life as a giant "connect the dots" puzzle, which each dot connecting to the next in a very organized, symmetrical pattern. The problem with this way of thinking is that God does not work in "connect the dot" puzzles or in "ducky rows." God's way has been described as that of a tapestry; underneath, it is a mess, but from God's view on top, it is weaving a beautiful pattern. He has said it thus in His Word-- "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." That lamp only gives light for one step; it is a walk of faith that every believer needs to walk.

Right now, the "dots" and "duckies" in my life are not connecting or lining up... my poor little duckies look like they've been plowed over like bowling pins. :) Yet, my Lord asks me to trust HIM to connect the dots and line up the duckies in His way and His timing. So, I will hold tenaciously to His righteous right hand and trust that He knows the way that I take.

Great Expectations

Every woman has expectations in her life: what she will be when she "grows up", who she will marry, what kind of home in which she will live, how many children she will have, etc. Recently, though, I have begun to realize that one of the things God asks a woman to surrender are her expectations. Have you ever paused to consider how silly some expectations of a husband are? "My husband needs to be tall." "My husband has to have blue eyes." "My husband needs to have attended a Christian college." "My husband needs to be rich." "My husband has to have such-and-such a personality." Woe be unto the men in our lives if they do not live up to our "expectations"!

Yet, God asks us to give Him our expectations, and as we surrender those to Him, we begin to realize how silly some of those expectations really are. Now, I'm not talking about standards, such as marrying a strong Christian, marrying someone who shares your life vision, etc. I'm talking about the "non-essentials" that sometimes we think are so essential. God may just turn to you (as He has to me) and say, "Put down your silly expectations and trust me! See what I have in store for your life!" I shudder to think of how different my life would be if God had allowed me to choose my life partner from among the guys I "liked"! I would have looked at my non-essential "essentials" list and been well-pleased, yet none of them (while definately worthy men)were God's choice. While I am still waiting, my list of "essentials" has changed drastically to encompass what God knows that I need, rather than what I think I "want."

Will you, dear girl, let God take your list of expectations and "essentials" and submit them to His will? You may turn around and see God's "unexpected" surprise for your life.

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