11 February 2009*: Linda Cawsey of the Methodist Church Petersfield

You don’t have to Google God

Out of interest, I tried ‘Googling’ God and came up with 82 search pages. Had I searched each entry, I doubt any one of them could have put me into direct contact. Fortunately, we don’t need access to the web because we have the gift of prayer. I wonder how our Heavenly Father feels when we present shopping lists of requests to Him? God is not a sort-of Father Christmas and prayer is not a means to an end. We never tell God anything new when we pray – He knows it all before we utter a sound. There are times when the concerns that we’ve brought to God are not changed, but we are. And this is an answer to our prayers that we don’t always recognise or appreciate. The following gets the message across far better than anything I write:

  • I asked for strength – and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
  • I asked for wisdom – and God gave me problems to learn to solve.
  • I asked for prosperity – and God gave me brain and brawn to work.
  • I asked for courage – and God gave me dangers to overcome.
  • I asked for love – and God gave me troubled people to help.
  • I asked for favours – and God gave me opportunities.
  • I received nothing I wanted; I received everything I needed.
  • My prayer has been answered.

Jesus said, “Don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Your heavenly Father already knows your needs and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” So speak to our heavenly Father and open your heart to His reply – it may come as a surprise.

*This was the date this article was first published, it is re-published because the Faith Comment for this date was not provided.