Prayer has been on my mind a lot this week.
There was the young-mom friend who called on Sunday to pray with me over the phone. She was facing a move, had four littles underfoot — and what did she focus on? My future marriage.
Then there was the elderly lady on the street. I carried her bag a few feet down the sidewalk; she blessed me soundly in Hebrew.
“Are you married?” she asked.
“Not yet,” I said.
“May God send you a good man!” she exclaimed.
(Spontaneous blessings from strangers: just another of the reasons I love this city).
But by Thursday night, I needed every ounce of those blessings to combat dis-courage and frustration. Relationships are confusing. A desire to understand is not always enough. So how can I expect to make it as far as marriage?
Then there’s this week’s news: War is pending on our borders.
Well, okay. War is always pending here, it seems. It’s like living in hurricane country, or in Tornado Alley. You buy a house with a good foundation. You dig a storm cellar. You stock up on water and canned goods. You pray. And you keep right on living a happy life.
But there’s bad news from America too: marriage took a hit in the Supreme Court yesterday. Well, I care about marriage, because it’s a picture of who God is to us. And oh, I love my country. But sometimes the weight of the need in the world is like a mountain on my chest. And I just feel trapped.
Didn’t God say that things will get worse before the end? Yes, He did. But does that mean there’s a time to simply —
Give up. Accept the bad news. Live a simple godly life in my corner of the world?
What?
When there’s not a single soul God wants to perish in this world? When He’s still pouring out His goodness, longing to see repentance, grieving over “respectable” and “shocking” sins alike?
When it’s those very mountains our faith is designed to move?
When it’s in impossibilities that He gets the most glory?
I’m sure it’s not a mistake that this article was republished today. I know God wanted to refresh my faith. I don’t know about you, but I want to keep asking. Even if my voice and heart are faint, I’m pretty sure He hears.
Elisabeth Adams 