Father knows best...

by Elizabeth Stewart

I was nine years old when Daddy left Mama and us kids for another woman.  I remember staring into the darkness out of my bedroom window at night, tears running down my face, asking God to make my daddy come home. I was too young to theologically reason that God doesn't violate a person's free will. All I knew is that I wanted God to answer the cry of my hurting heart.

As I got older my prayers changed. I became old enough to surmise that perhaps it was best for my mama and us kids if Daddy didn't come home.  We were doing well, involved in a good church,  and growing in Christ.  My prayers changed.  I began to pray that my Daddy would get right with God. I assumed that when Daddy left us, he had also left Jesus.  What I didn't realize was that Jesus hadn't let go of Daddy. I prayed for Daddy for years.  I was pregnant with my second daughter when Daddy had to have a triple bypass.  Evidently, that was an incentive to him to make sure things between him and Jesus were okay.  My prayers were answered.

There are simple little prayers that I've prayed that God has answered almost immediately.  There are other prayers about much more significant and life impacting things that I've prayed for years that I've yet to see Him answer.  What I have learned through the years is the truth of this saying, "God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him" (Jim Elliot)  There were times I couldn't see this-when we went through a "Job season" of loss after loss and trial after trial, when our oldest daughter struggled with infertility and loss for over a decade.  But, in hindsight, I now see all of the beneficial things God brought to pass through our Job season. I also thank God daily for the two wonderful granddaughters that God eventually blessed our daughter with, and there is a maturity and strength of character beyond their years that He worked in our daughter and son-in-law in their long waiting years.

Jesus said, " What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!" Luke 11:11-13 The way I see it, getting a stone when you ask for bread would be a cruel disappointment.  Getting a scorpion would be getting something harmful when you expected something good.  Jesus indicated that our Father God doesn't answer our cries with something disappointing or harmful to us.  Psalm 34:10 promises that He will not let us lack any beneficial thing.  When we pray we can trust God with our requests and desires.  His answer will be what is best and what is beneficial for us.  Even His timing will be what is best.  We all would prefer what we want when we want it. But, we must remember and trust that our good, good Father really does know what is best.

still following,

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