Friday morning, I prayed for divine opportunities to happen in my day. I wanted moments where I saw the Spirit move and grow our faith.
Be careful what you pray for.
After my mom ate lunch with us, she headed back to work. Within minutes she called me panicked as she saw emergency workers outside Jonah's best friend's house. I immediately had that sinking feeling in my stomach, that fear of all the worst things you could possibly imagine.
I hung up the phone and dropped to my knees to pray. Jonah, now knowing well the look of emergency on my face, stared wide eyed at me dreading the news.
"Jonah, get on your knees." "Georgia, get on your knees." I began to pray for all of the members of this family, as I had no idea what was going on, but God did. I prayed for His Spirit to be with them, to heal hurts that needed healing. We amened and peace came.
As I called two prayer partners, I heard Jonah praying, "Dear God, please don't take her, she's my best friend. You won't take her will you?" (I immediately thought back to the same prayer I prayed for my best friend in 1998).
Jonah associates ambulances with death, since he witnessed that part of our December tragedy. I was able, in that moment to talk with him about how God answers prayer.
A little while later we found out it was indeed his friend that was sick. She was taken to the hospital, but she is going to be o.k. That night we prayed and Jonah thanked God for not taking his friend to heaven.
My heart broke inside a little more for him that day as I got a look into his little grieving heart. I don't understand lots of things, but I know God used Friday in a divine way to teach us about faith and His Presence.
There are no coincidences.
Thank you for your sweet words, Lulu. I think in my heart at seventeen, I was clinging to my friend who I didn't want to lose. Of course, I wanted her to go to heaven one day, just not so young. God knew my heart, He had His will, but in the moment, I was being like Martha pleading with Jesus, "If you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died." John 11:21 As I've gotten older and matured in my faith, the Lord has graced me the wisdom to know His will is perfect, even when it hurts me in the process. I believe God is good. He only does good. I know what Jonah was trying to say was he didn't want to suffer loss. We talk about the sovereignty of God so often since the loss of his grandfather in December. He has asked lots of questions and I've quoted scripture about our days being numbered. I will revisit this with Jonah as we talk about prayer. We are about to start learning The Lord's Prayer which teaches about "Thy will be done." Thank you again for your words and encouragement.
Posted by: Emily | February 18, 2013 at 01:43 PM
What a beautiful testimony. An example to your children to first above all - pray. Too many times in a sense of panic, I forgot to do what is most important first. I realize that Jonah is only 4, but should you thank God for NOT taking someone to heaven. There are times when that prayer has been said - as you prayed for your friend - and God's answer will not be ours. Are we not to pray - your will be done? This is a tough answer for a 4 year old or at any age. I have heard too many who have lost faith because their prayer to save the one they loved was not answered. Of course the best answer to this was told to my mother when her mother had been in a pedestrian accident. She said she prayed that her mother be saved. She was told perhaps your mother was praying for herself, to be released from the pain and brought to heaven, and it was her prayers that were answered. The Father does answer all prayers.
Posted by: Lulu | February 18, 2013 at 12:41 PM