Encouragement

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Before They Call
By Missey Butler

On my drive into work this morning, the Lord and I were conversing (as we often do) and I said: “Lord, I know that you are well aware of the deep suffering that your children are now enduring within the Gulf State region, and your heart must be truly breaking.” I heard Him say:

“Yes my daughter, you know my heart well, you have understood that I am well acquainted with grief and sorrow. You see, I not only see this particular area of devastation, but I also see the entire suffering world as my eyes roam to and from the earth. Though you can only see what is directly in front of you, I see the entire picture.”

I was immediately humbled as I thought of the verse that says: “My thoughts are higher than your thoughts, my ways are higher than your ways.” “You are right my Lord, our human limitation’s many times cause us to “all to quickly” begin to doubt your capacity of love and mis-trust your longing desire to deliver, heal and restore all of those precious souls who find themselves in dire straits, while living in a fallen world.”

God immediately put me in remembrance of two powerful scriptures that speak of His omniscience, (the ability of Him knowing all things at all times). In the book of Isaiah 65:24, He reminds us:

“Before they call I will answer” And again in Psalm 139:4 “Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely O Lord.”

So, naturally, my initial response was: “Well Lord, if that’s true, that you know the answer even before we call, then why would you even have us pray to you at all”? Right away I heard his voice speak: “Prayer never changes me…but it does change you.”

Wow, I had never thought of it that way. But the longer I allow His words to settle within my spirit, the more I realized that it was true.

For I am the Lord, I change not. (Malachi 3:6)

There is no shadow of turning with thee (James 1:17)

In that moment I realized, we don’t pray to God in order to get him to change his mind,
God chooses to use our prayers as a means of transforming “US” into willing vessels that he in turn, pours back his manifested power as we more and more are made into His very image. That’s why Jesus taught us: “Not my will, but thy will be done.” We become a human extension (if you will ) of Himself to a suffering and dying world, those who are in desperate need of a divine touch from God.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8: 22)

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
(Romans 8: 19-21).

As the cars quickly rushed by me on the busy morning commute, I quietly pondered the wonderful things I had just heard. Once again I was seeing into the heart of the King of all hearts, as I was moved with genuine compassion. I began to faintly hear the words of a beloved hymn:

“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and for me; See on the portals He’s waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me.”

Will you answer the call to prayer? You may be surprised to find that even before we call…He has the answer! What a wonderful God we serve!

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