Lately we have been doing a lot of online shopping - much easier for items that do not have to be tried on - for size and fit - staple items - consumables - that we buy in large quantity. Easier to have shipped to the house than trying to fit in a vehicle - also very handy for unique items. In the past we use to drive all over the place - going from one store to another to seek and find not so popular items. Now - with the internet - very easy to do a search - investigate the assortment of brands - read reviews - then buy and have shipped. All these purchases offer free tracking service - a number assigned by the merchant and whomever they ship through - providing a number to keep track of where your order is in the purchasing process and eventually the shipping - with date of arrival. If anything gets delayed - the tracking number provides an explanation and new arrival date.
When a person talks with God - no need for tracking numbers - every request - every prayer - given top priority - all prayers are equal - all get the same attention. Some people believe that God does not answer prayers right away - some think He stores away - assigns a tracking number - to be processed - answered later. I personally believe that God answers our prayers even before they have left our lips - hearts - minds. I have come to believe that God knows what I need - what I am going to request - even before I know it - and answers my prayers the second I initiate my conversation with Him. What confuses many - although God answers immediately - the result of that request often takes time to manifest in our lives. Not every answer will appear to us - until we actually believe that He has answered. Some things have to happen through the course of natural events - other people - situations - demanding our patience. The biggest road block to answered prayers - our disbelief that our prayer is worth answering - lack of faith in God - could possibly be the cause of any delay in seeing our prayer answered. As we prepare for Palm Sunday - we must - be people of faith - believing all that He reveals to us now - today - during Holy Week - through out our entire Lenten experience.
Deacon Dale
