It's the Economy

Laura A and I were talking a couple days ago about how our husbands and households are doing, and we agreed to pray for each other's finances. Not because it was the nice and appropriate thing to say, and certainly not because we thought we could make anything happen! We believe God answers prayer, and we were acknowledging our experience that God likes to involve us in the process, sensitizing our hearts to see when he works on our behalf.

I was reminded, and told Laura about how the Lord reached through all kinds of muck to answer and retrieve my son Joseph, and how humble and grateful I was to Him, knowing I certainly hadn't prayed hard enough or long enough to make it happen. We're both a little put off by recent experiences in prayer meetings that get very emotional and fervent, with lots of proclaiming and claiming and prophesying and crying out; still we absolutely believe that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

That's why it's easier to pray for my own needs as I pray for someone else's. When I pray for myself, it's easy to bog down in unworthiness. When praying for another, I can agree wholeheartedly that I'm unworthy, yet God is faithful, gracious, and merciful! We were reminded, too, to be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, that passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6&7) It's the thanksgiving part that lifts the spirit from wallowing in fear or worry, to trusting in His goodness. When I'm thankful for what I've seen of God's goodness in the past, and for the strength of His truth, and for His unfailing loving kindness and mercy, all sorts of windows open up in my soul!

These are the last little tomatoes trying to grow, despite the fact that it's winter and the rest of the plant has withered up and thinks it's dead! Oh, these little beauties give me a boost! Hanging there, alive and bright, even though the plant looks dead and the pot is scruffy. They were just getting a little sweeter every day they got some sunshine and water, and some had ripened and been left to get soft and mushy. I finally cut these off and cooked them, because I wanted to clean up the patio. I'm glad God isn't in a hurry to clean me up, and is letting me stay on the vine, getting a little sweeter...