i've kneaded through many questions about prayer.
i'm never going to grasp how prayer works..
but these things i know to be true:
1) Jesus is in constant prayer for me.
2) Jesus prayed, therefore so should I.
3) prayer has changed me.
4) the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
5) God hears.
yesterday i added a sixth prayer point.
at the start of the summer i began to pray that the Lord would lay it on somebody's heart to give my boyfriend a car. to me this seemed like a selfish prayer to pray. but i was calling on Jehovah Jireh. i don't want to say i was testing God, but i was committing to pray for something because i wanted to see prayer work in such a tangible way. i also wanted Austin to have a car to give him more freedom: to get off campus, to venture out into the world to share Jesus, to be able to go to church more regularly and be able to serve there without worrying whether he would have a ride or not, to glorify God by enjoying Him on random adventures, to be able for him to go home more often to spend time with the family he loved, so that he wouldn't have to borrow a car for us to go on dates, to get to join in sweet fellowship, to be able to ride with the windows rolled down and feel the wind in his hair..
as i continued to pray i knew in my heart God was going to give Austin a car, and I wasn't going to stop praying until He did. there were little confirmations along the way. one night at church the pastor told the story of an elderly lady who had donated her car to the church just as she was on her death bed. it was as if the Lord was saying "amy, I do give cars away.." and i knew He was going to give Austin a car. I kept praying. each time i saw a car that said "for sale" i was reminded to pray.
on Friday Austin told me that his grandparents were contemplating giving him their Cadillac (good thing i love old people (:) . my heart smiled, and i'm sure my face was glowing. "what?" he asked. "God's just cool." was all i could say. "tell me" he said. and i told him about how i had prayed. as i left him, i prayed again, God, please help this to work out.
Saturday Austin texted me and told me his grandpa had called and offered him the car. i was overflowing with thankfulness and joy! i called Austin so he could hear the rejoicing in my voice. yes, i was rejoicing because Austin got a car, but more because God had proven faithful (He always does)! and this i've tucked away as a tangible answer to prayer..
so the sixth prayer point i would add is
6) prayer positions you in a place where you can't help but acknowledge God in your life. prayer points to Him. if i hadn't of prayed for Austin to get a car, would he had gotten one anyway? maybe..probably..who's to say? but if he had would i have thanked God and acknowledge it was Him who gave Austin that car? would i have given Him the glory due His name? not with the same magnitude, if at all. it is easy for us to forget to see God's hand in every detail of our lives. praying for this car positioned me in a view where i couldn't doubt His hand even if i tried..
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