Thy Will Be Done

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer.  But I'm afraid that "how" I should pray has always left me in a little bit  of a quandary.  I am a "Thy will be done" kind of girl.  They are the very words we were commanded to pray by our Lord and Savior.  He, too, spoke them on the Mount of Olives,  "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."  Luke 22:42  Yet, both Matthew and Luke tell us, "Ask, Seek, Knock...and it will be given unto you."  And what about the way that Abraham pleaded for Sodom?

I am reminded of a story I once read.  There was a terrible drought in a small farming town and the preacher had called for a prayer meeting so that the town could pray for rain.  On the day of the prayer meeting, one little girl showed up with her umbrella in hand.  It still makes me smile to think of the faith of that child; knowing that their prayers would be answered.

 “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you."  Luke 17:6

Last week, Hannah was supposed to have a party at a park with the entire 5th grade class.  It was their end of the year party.  We had been experiencing an unusual, but much needed, bout of rain the night before the party. It was pouring cats and dogs when we went to bed.  I suggested to Hannah that she pray for no rain the next day (I know that Danny and I both did).  The next morning when we got up, it was still raining and we received a phone call from the school letting parents know that the party had been postponed due to weather. Interestingly, on the way to school, the sun was beginning to shine.  I mentioned it to Hannah and asked if she had prayed the night before.  She confirmed that she did and I asked, "but did you believe?"  Again, she said "yes".  I said, "Well, it looks like it's going to be a nice day".

The rain came late that evening.  They would have had a 'rain-free' party.  When I picked the kids up from school, I commented on it.  Hannah was rather disappointed with the turn of events.  For me, I am hoping that she remembers this day as the day she asked God for it not to rain... and it didn't.

"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  Luke 18:17

Faith Like a Child, Jars of Clay