A short story this morning… I have been praying about a certain situation in my life – actually I have several situations going on – but in this one area I was kind of, “praying as I went” through the day, just mentioning it to God here and there. It’s hard to admit, but many times that’s the level of prayer that many of us think is sufficient, or all we think we can give. But one night I really poured out my heart to God and I sensed His hug just a little tighter than I sometimes do. Well, the situation presented itself and I thought for the past several days that it might be getting worse. But yesterday, it turned into exactly what I had cried out to Him that I felt I needed! As the day unfolded He absolutely broke into my work day with the awareness of His hand of providence and His answering YES to my prayer! I’m only sharing this to say 1) although God always hears your prayers, yes – He does embrace you with an answer in a deeper way on occasion, and 2) if you are praying for something – PRESS ON! He is not playing hide and seek with you – He wants you to learn something or know Him more deeply, and He WILL answer you according to what He wants for you! So keep going – and keep going deeper with Him!

“Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your persistence he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Luke 11:5-10