Luke 1:13 – But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias! For I have come to tell you that God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son!" (TLB)

For months, my dad had spent every free moment in the basement, building kitchen cupboards as a Christmas present for my mom. At least that's what we children thought. We weren't permitted to go down and see for ourselves. We anxiously hoped, however, that they would be finished in time.

When Christmas Day arrived, the Christmas cupboards turned out to be an intricately-formed dollhouse (including handmade furniture) for me, and a fine barn (with animals and equipment) for my brother Larry.

We had hoped for and expected one thing, and quite another showed up. Prayer is like that. The answers we get aren't always what we expect. Zacharias prayed for a son. He likely expected the first sign of answered prayer to be something like morning sickness. He did not expect to see an angel, and he certainly never expected his prayer to be answered when he was old and his wife well along in years.

What is our heart's prayer? Are we prepared for the answer that will come in God's way and in God's timing? Why not?

Prayer: Father God, we confess that we have preconceived notions about how You will answer our prayers. Help us to see the outcome through Your eyes. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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About the author:

Brenda Wood <brenda.w@nextcom.ca>
Sandycove Acres, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada
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