Be Careful of What you ask for

We have heard of Moab's pride,

his great pride,

his outrageous pride and arrogance

his empty boasting

Isaiah 16:6

Like a lot of other people, I've had my moments of being overly self-assured. Case in point: there was a time when a friend involved in publishing asked if I would undertake writing a book on Christian witnessing for young people. I felt it would be an easy task since we had five children at home and we were involved with youth at our church. I said, "Sure, when do you want it?" "Yesterday," was his response. I told him I would work on it when I got home.

That's exactly what I did - I started writing and everytime I started, the things I was thinking of ended up on the floor in a wadded-up ball of paper which accumulated as the hours and days went by.

By the end of the week nothing had worked out. It seemed as though the self assurance I had started with was gone and I was frustrated. Finally I decided to pray for guidance. I said to God, "I can't do this task and I need your help." Immediately it was as though a spotlight had lit; all kinds of ideas flashed through my head. In a matter of days the manuscript had gone together. And when I next talked to my friend he asked when I would have an outline and my response was, "I don't have an outline - I have the entire book." When it was published there was only one editorial change - one word in the entire book.

Some time later I started work on another book completing an outline and several chapters and submitted it to the publisher. He said that it was a nice book but not one they would be interested in publishing. I asked why and he replied, "Your other book shared a personal witness; this new one preaches. If you find a way to let the experience of God speak through your writing, you'll have a winner." Needless to say, I had forgotten to pray for guidance.

I've always been grateful for that lesson. We, by ourselves, don't offer much, but through God, and prayer, all things are possible.

Dear Lord God:

Help us to know that you hear our prayers

and though your answers me not be

what we expect, your answers

are there

AMEN