3:137 – God May Have Already Answered Your Prayers

#faithbites #faithjourney already

It was 5:30 AM and the dog woke me up. I took him outside into the backyard. It was blurry as I didn’t have my glasses on. All I saw was a field of white as far as the eye could see. It took me a while to process what I was seeing. In reality, it was dandelions that had turned into puffballs. First, I knew that I needed to mow, but second, it reminded me of a bible story. The Israelites were hungry and prayed for food. God sent manna from heaven for them to eat. It was white and flakey. They ate and were full.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think when the Israelites were hungry, they asked for manna to eat. They wanted food and God answered them. I’m wondering how many times we ask for something, God provides it, but it’s not in the way, form, or timing that we wanted and we think God hasn’t answered. The truth is, he already did. We just don’t recognize it.

Scripture

• Exodus 16 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+16&version=NIV
  • 16:14-16 – When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.  When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.  This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”

Reflection

I encourage you to read the whole chapter or at least until verse 30. God said he would provide food (quail and bread). He sent the quails, then the manna. He gave specific instructions to the people, but they didn’t follow them. They questioned what this food was, they grumbled against the Lord, and were angry with Moses and God.

Let’s think about this for a bit. The people needed something. They prayed about it. God answered them, but the people still weren’t happy. How many times does that happen to us? We get something but don’t think it’s what we wanted. We pray to God and he has already answered that prayer but we don’t see it .

This #faithbite is more about faith and vision that anything. We need to step outside of our wants and realize that God is answered our prayers. He does it in a way that is different than we may expect it.

Look at your life’s journey. Are you where you expected yourself to be? Was it a straight line? I tell people mine was like driving from Bloomington, Il to Chicago by way of Sydney, Long, Capetown, and Tokyo. No straight shots but God has answered me.

Challenge

Has God provided manna to you but your were expecting steak? Has the Lord already answered your prayers but you haven’t seen it. Try to look at it from a new perspective. You may be surprised to see your prayers have been answered.

Prayer

Father God, you are always true. You have never forsaken us and will be with us until the end of the age. You tell us to pray and you will answer them. We know that many times you answer our prayers but we don’t see it. Help us to recognize your Glory and already answered prayers. Let us see that they way you answered those prayers is the way in which we needed it to. In your name, Amen.