No, that’s not a typo in the subject line. We’re all likely familiar with the hymn line, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it” but aren’t we just as prone to wonder?
I find myself often wondering. As I look out my back window I wonder at the beauty that God has created. But in a different sense of the word, I also find myself wondering things like:
- How can I repair a broken relationship?
- How is God going to provide? In our case, provide for our personal support.
- How can I lead more effectively?
- How can I have a greater impact on my grandkids?
- I even wonder what can I get my wife for her birthday? (Now that’s a practical wonder!)
In the context of ministry in Europe, I wonder when the day will come that the answer to our prayers for a spiritual awakening across the continent will come pouring out of heaven.
This past week a good number of us gathered each day over the noon hour to pray such prayers for Europe. We prayed with power and purpose and there is no doubt that our prayers were both heard and were pleasing to the Lord. But when will we see the answers to such gigantic prayers? I wonder. Will I live long enough to see the answers to such prayers? I wonder.
If I may paraphrase Andrew Murray from his book, With Christ in the School of Prayer, he provides an answer to my wondering. As he writes, “Just as water in a stream, to exercise its full force must be gathered up and then released, so too with prayer… there must be a “heaping up” of prayer until God sees the measure is full and the answer comes.” Ah, ha. I now have my answer. God’s response to our prayers for Europe will come at the exact moment enough prayers have been “heaped up”.
While we are naturally prone to wonder we can also be confident of God’s answer. I don’t need to wonder if my prayers will be heard or are making a difference. I just need to continue to heap up prayers such as those for the spiritual awakening of Europe. More and more prayers until the dam breaks and awakening comes.
I hope the Lord will lead you to add to the heaping up of prayers for Europe. No need to wonder if it makes a difference. Assuredly it does and it will.