"But that... was not... the prayer."

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a prayer you prayed is… well… sort of answered?  It isn’t exactly what you asked for… but who are you to complain?

Maybe you didn’t ask for the right thing.

Or maybe you didn’t ask the right way.

Or maybe God said, “No.”

Or, “Not yet.”

And when it doesn’t happen you try to keep your chin up and have an attitude of gratitude.

Maybe your mother’s voice plays in the back of your head, “Be grateful you got that!”
So you offer up a “Thank you” to Jesus that is more forced than natural.

I did that recently.

I had prayed a pretty specific prayer.  It’s a more detailed story that this… but I’ll give you the highlights.

“I want a my last day of work to be June 28^th.   I want to have a week off to be with my family (our son was visiting from Brazil).  And I want my new job to start July 8^th.”

God moved… fast.

I gave my notice on June 28^th.  My new job was scheduled to start on July 8^th.

As my wife and I sat in the bed Sunday morning, June 30^th, I started my “thank you” when my wife turned toward me and said with a boldness I envy…

“But that… was not… the prayer.”

She and I both new… I wanted the week off… but I was scheduled to work.

I folded my arms like a disappointed child and said, “I know.”

The next day as I arrived at work my boss called me in to his office.

“It isn’t going to do any good you being here this week.  I already did the payroll.  You won’t lose the week’s pay.  Let’s just say your last day of work was June 28^th.”

As he wrote that down on the paper and had me sign it I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I sent a text to a bunch of my brothers in Christ, “When it looks like it’s too late… God still has time.”

Don’t settle for partially answered prayer.

Don’t reach for something that isn’t what you asked for.

Don’t believe that God is not able to answer specific prayers in specific ways.

He is very detail oriented.

“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ” Luke 11:11,12

Get a hold of the truth that Our Father is a Giver… of Good Gifts.

God doesn’t give us because we earn…

He gives because He is a giver.

And just when you think it is too late to get that specific answer… know that He still has time.

SDG