She asked me a bit about my faith, which at the time was
non-existent, saying towards the end of the conversation that she would be
praying for me. And when I heard that I
recall thinking in my head “Go ahead.
Suit yourself.” From my
perspective at the time a person could go ahead and do whatever they felt
like. Any words that would say about me
would have no effect or meaning for me.
That encounter came to mind after my wife and I read 1 Timothy 1:12-20 last
night and I re-read the passage again several times today. Verse 13b-14 says:
“But
I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of
our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
In this passage Paul is writing about himself and the grace that
God lavished on him, even though Paul was about as far away from God as a person
could be. And Paul’s description of
himself is something that I find applies to me as well. I was ignorant of God and lived in unbelief. I had grown up in a church and I knew about
God, or at least some things about God, but I didn't know God Himself. But God
had grace that overflowed on me, giving me faith in Him through Christ Jesus.
Did those prayers offered years before on my behalf make a
difference with God and His treatment of me?
I don’t know. I do know that God
works according to His own plans and agenda, in my life and the world,
something I have seen happen over and over and over.
So I am glad for her prayers and learning the lesson of
lifting up to God prayers that seem to be the things God would want us to carry
to Him, such as the salvation of those who are dear to our hearts. And we can pray trusting that He will answer
them in His time and according to His purposes, a sense of timing and purpose
that will always be perfect.
Scripture quotations
are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by
Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.
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