I have struggled with Mathew 7:7. “Ask and you will receive.”
I don’t struggle with it when all of my petitions are answered favorably, but when my prayers seem to go South, and God seems silent, and the person for whom I’m begging at the throne doesn’t find her healing, I wonder if I’ve misunderstood this verse.
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| Southwest Oklahoma |
When my sister died I really struggled with this. Why aren’t people healed when we pray for them to be healed? Isn’t that God’s will? I’ve made peace with that grave disappointment, but there are other people in my life for whom I pray who are not healed either. Some love Jesus and yet fight mental illnesses.
The other day I was talking to God about this. “Why don’t you heal everybody completely?”
These words graced my mind and floated down into my spirit: (That’s when I know it’s from God.) I am faithful. Their need gives my children opportunity to do good.
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| The tree I often prayed under petitioning my sister’s healing. |
The author of Hebrews writes, “Keep loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angles without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:1,2). This is a great verse! How exciting to think we may be entertaining angels. But why wouldn’t we know? Wouldn’t we perceive their angelness?
A friend once told me that one day as she studied this verse a memory of a very difficult woman flashed in her mind. Mary had the thought, “Was she an angel sent to test me?” And at that moment she was convinced that some of those secret angels we “entertain” are not always angelic.
It’s a humorous thought. But maybe one we should heed. Don’t miss your opportunities to do good. They are all around us. Some difficult, some easy. May we be the hands and feet and love of Jesus today!
Much grace,
andy
Trust in the Lord and do good…(Psalm 37:3).
