1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, where 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 2: we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for their 4 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: families in the areas they need it most. I'm your host, 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 2: Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've helped thousands of 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: moms make prayer a priority for their families. Our mission 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 2: is to help you do the same. Prayer is not 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 2: a last resort. It's our first and best response to 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the hearts of 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: our children that God invites us into. Today's devotion is 11 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: written and read by Brooke McLoughlin, founder of Million Praying 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 2: Moms and author of Everyday Prayers for Peace. To learn 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: more about Brooke, or to learn more about how you 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 2: can get involved in the ministry of Million Praying Moms, 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: visit Today's show notes or Millionprayingmoms dot Com. After a 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: word from our sponsors, will pray together for our children 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: tewod Peter three nine. The Lord does not delay his 18 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 2: promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you, 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 20 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 2: One of the main reasons. 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: I love to pray the word of God and encourage 22 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: and teach others to do the same is because I 23 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: believe God will always be true to it. There may 24 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: not be many specific instructions for parents in the Bible, 25 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: but there are plenty of promises to God's children. One 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: of those in Isaiah fifty five eleven is that God's 27 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: word will not return void, but will do exactly what 28 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: he promises for it to do. There's confidence in that 29 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: promise and a bit of mystery. On the one hand, 30 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: we can have the assurance that when God's word goes forth, 31 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: it will accomplish his specific and purposeful plan. On the 32 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: other hand, we have no control over what God's plan 33 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: actually is. My main takeaway in the almost twenty years 34 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: I've been praying God's word is that I can have 35 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: faith in God's powerful promise without having to understand its 36 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: purpose or his time to take in fulfilling it. Several 37 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: years ago, God gave me these words give them the 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: grace to grow out of this. It was something he 39 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: impressed upon my heart as a gift I can give 40 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: my children while they grow mature and learn more about Him. 41 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: But I'm convinced that it's the same gift God offers 42 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: to all of us as his children, even and especially 43 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: as we grow up an age. Today's verse assures us 44 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: that the Lord does not delay in fulfilling his promises. 45 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: While the entire passage from Tewod Peter three is speaking 46 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: mainly about the day of the Lord or when Jesus returns, 47 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: I don't think it's wrong to apply it to other 48 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: situations when we're waiting for the Lord to show up 49 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: or feeling like the Lord is silent or maybe even delayed. 50 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: Have you been praying for a child to come to 51 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: Christ with no direct answer in sight? Do you have 52 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: a prodigal child who has not looked back despite your 53 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: bleeding prayers? Has sickness or injury entered your home and 54 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: caused you to fall on your knees like never before? 55 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: Are you watching a child experience hurt while you're unable 56 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: to kiss away the pain or offer assurance that it 57 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: will be all right. One of my favorite books on prayer, 58 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: If You Will Ask, is a collection of sermons and 59 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: writings on prayer by Oswald Chambers. In that book, Chambers 60 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: says God's silences are his answers if we only take 61 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: as answers those that are visible to our senses. We 62 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 1: are in a very elementary condition of grace. Sometimes it 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: feels like God is delayed. Sometimes it feels like he's 64 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: being too quiet. However, this is only because we're trying 65 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: to understand our circumstances the way we can, within our 66 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: own limits, and failing to recognize that God's ways are 67 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: altogether different from ours. God doesn't delay as we might 68 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: understand it. He's just on an entirely different timetable that 69 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: we can't see. The thing is, I want a visible answer. 70 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: I can't help it. I bet you're mostly the same way, 71 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: especially when it comes to your children. I really do 72 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: want to wake up every morning full of faith that 73 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: God will show up, trusting in his perfect timing, because 74 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: I know even his silences and his seeming delays are 75 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: for my children's good. God is growing me into that woman, 76 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: but it isn't yet the standard default of my heart. 77 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: Too much of me still lives in the temporal and 78 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: too easily forgets the eternal. Could it be that a 79 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: different perspective entirely exists than the one that makes me 80 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: feel like God is holding out on me. Chambers goes 81 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: on to say, some prayers are followed by silence because 82 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: they are bigger than we can understand. Can God trust 83 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: you like that? Remember that Jesus Christ's silences are always 84 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: signs that he knows we can stand a bigger revelation 85 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: than we think we can. Maybe God isn't answering the 86 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: way we want because there's something more for us to 87 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: learn through the experience. What if instead of trying everything 88 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: in our power to get out of what's hurting us, 89 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: we just leaned in and listened, making room for God's 90 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:03,559 Speaker 1: plans even if they are what we want. Let's pray, Father, 91 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: thank you that we can trust your timing. Help our 92 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: families to trust it as well, especially when it feels 93 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: like you're being too quiet or that your response is delayed. 94 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: Broaden our minds and hearts to make room for your plans, 95 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: even if they aren't what we want. In Jesus' name, Amen, friends. 96 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: We have completely revamped our Patreon Tears. Now with a 97 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 2: ten dollars monthly donation, you automatically receive our favorite monthly 98 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 2: downloadable prayer calendar of curated scripture inspired prayers that complement 99 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 2: the devotions and prayers from the podcast. You also receive 100 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 2: each day's devotion and prayer in written form, including reflection 101 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,119 Speaker 2: questions to accompany your quiet time. Many of our members 102 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 2: enjoy having the ability to read the day's devotion or 103 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 2: to save the prayer for future use. Lastly, when you 104 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: become a Praying Mom, you're invited to a monthly mom 105 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 2: chat with me and surprise guests from our other Million 106 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: Praying Mom authors. You can learn more in today's show 107 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 2: notes or at Millionprayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 108 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 109 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 2: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 110 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.