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An Amazing Answer to Prayer

My phone came alive buzzing with the familiar ringtone signifying I had a call from my prodigal daughter. I grabbed the phone with anticipation and a hint of dread. What would I hear?
Six weeks had passed since her last call. Even when I called her to wish her a happy birthday, she never answered. I received this text: “I’m busy at work. Call you later.”
After no call came, I grew concerned. Anyone could send a text.
As we talked, I discovered she was fine. She wasn’t homeless or sick.
That’s when I told her about all the people who had prayed for her.

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Unacceptably Acceptable

Standing on God’s Word isn’t socially acceptable today. It may cause rifts in families. You won’t win any popularity contests either. But like Daniel and his friends, we aren’t concerned with people pleasing.
In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar made a tremendous image of gold. At the dedication of the image all his governing officials were commanded to bow down and worship the image. Everyone complied with the king’s orders except for three Hebrew young men. They stood for God when everyone else bowed down to the king.

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As the World Shakes

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
(Hebrews 12:27-28 NKJV)
I recall my mom and I watching her favorite soap opera, As the World Turns, on hot summer afternoons. As the intro music began, the globe came onto the television screen spinning. On the last episode, Dr. Bob Hughes spun the globe on his desk as he left his office for the final time.
For the last eighteen months, the entire world has been shaken. I agree with great theologians that God has released judgement. Not just on the world, but judgement upon the church.

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Closing the Distance with the Prodigal

Over thirty days have passed, and no word from my daughter. I should be accustomed to this by now. She always pulls away when her life takes a wrong turn.
Sometimes, I think God shields me from something I don’t need to know and can’t fix. I’m learning that when she becomes distant, I can go to God, the one who knows all things. He knows where she is. He knows how she is, and my prayers are no less effective because I can’t pray specifically. God has probably rescued her a dozen times that I will never know about and that’s amazing.

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