Watch for the Answer

Answered prayer comes in all shapes and sizes.

Watch For the Answer

By Angela Posey-Arnold

 

“………Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.” (Matthew 6:2-3 The Message)

Pray—just do it. How do you talk to Jesus? Someone asked me one day how I knew Jesus was real? I replied, “Because I just talked to Him 15 minutes ago.”

The person asking me the question did not understand because she did not know Jesus. It is hard to talk to someone who you don’t believe is there.

 Prayer is a conversation with Him. Sometimes it is solemn and staid, other times it is just talking things over with Him. This last Saturday night when I crawled into bed to get warm I began a conversation with Jesus. Amidst the praise, thanks and petitions I talked about how much Grandmother loved the song, How Great Thou Art.

I said, “Remember how she loved to hear me play it on the piano, even when I was just learning to play? I think I will play it tomorrow night at Church for the offertory. It is such a pretty song and the words are so powerful. Too bad no body sings when I play the offertory. That is okay I suppose, most people know the words, don’t they?”

 I asleep before I finished completely. I used to feel really bad when I would fall asleep praying. Then one day a still small voice said, “it is okay Angela. What better way to fall asleep?” 

Arising early on a cool fall Sabbath morning I stretched and thanked Him for the night’s sleep. I love Sundays. It is my favorite day and I look forward to the Sabbath Day all week.

“Momma and Daddy are coming, I said to my husband.  “So we need to be at Church about ten minutes early to introduce them to folks.”  

We arrived to Church at the same time my parents did. It is a rare occasion to have my parents with me at church so I was excited to introduce them to my sisters, brothers, pastor and church family whom I have grown to love over the last year while serving as the pianist.

I quickly settled them into a seat with my husband and friends and scurried off to pre-service choir practice. Our minister of music was absent. He always picks the hymns and gives them to me and the organist on a sticky note. In his place one of the deacons had picked the songs, he handed me a piece of paper with the hymns on it. I was talking to someone and did not even look at the hymns. I put the paper on the piano bench as I passed by, still talking to a friend.

As service begins I walk in first and the choir follows me. The pastor is in the pulpit reading the annoucements when we come in. I sat down at the piano and looked at the sticky note. For the greeting song he had picked Allelujah, a nice greeting chorus. The first hymn he picked was page number 10—How Great Thou Art. Okay let me say that again, the deacon picked the song, How Great Thou Art.

My heart lifted, my soul smiled, I smiled. Jesus just affirmed He heard my prayer. The little things like this that He does is where the peace that passeth all understanding comes from. I knew He enjoyed our conversation the night before. Standing up and shouting for joy is what I wanted to do—but it is hard to play the piano and do that.

We sang all four choruses, each line fostering increasing crescendos of elation and thrill for me. The voices singing in enhanced harmony and accord. What beauty filled me to overflowing. I have never played the song like that before. When I finished, I thought, ‘how did I do that?’ I knew, I didn’t.

I needed the song, the words, the encouagement, the comfort. The congregation needed it too. We all did. And Grandmother, well I don’t know how, but somehow she did too. And Jesus provided the soothing confirmation of hearing my prayer and loving me.

HOW GREAT THOU ART

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

words & music by Carl G. Boberg and R.J. Hughes

 

Maybe you needed it too.

Just do it. Just talk to Him. He hears and answers the prayers of His children. Quietly and unobtrusively, He works behind the scenes and helps you out. He really does.

Lord, Thank You.  I Love You. In Jesus Name. Amen

©Angela Posey-Arnold 2008