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Message From Pastor Peggy     July 5, 2020

Have you ever been in the presence of someone who makes a comment that pierces your heart and sticks? It happened to me this week. Dr. Terry Wardle was leading a lecture on the Unquenchable Fire of the Holy Spirit, when he made the comment, “When we pray something always happens. We might not know what, it might not be what we expect, but something always happens.” 
Now I truly believe that, but nevertheless hearing his words set my mind dancing in a whirlwind of excitement as I considered those words in light of all the prayers raised to God. For each prayer lifted, something always happens! Always! Not sometimes, not once in a while, but always! When we pray, something always happens! How exciting is that! Doesn’t hearing that, knowing that, being reminded of that, enhance your perspective of prayer? Doesn’t it create in you a desire to pray without ceasing? As I contemplated these things my mind then began to wander to the stories of those who prayed and something happened …
I thought of Hannah. For years, Hannah was filled with anguish and resentment that she did not have a  child. Deeply hurt, she prayed for a son, making a vow that if God gave her one she would dedicate him to God. And something happened. The next morning she and her husband got up early to worship the Lord. “Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.” She conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Samuel. (1 Samuel 1:1-20). (In Hebrew the name Samuel sounds like the phrase “requested from God.”) Hannah prayed and something happened – something beautiful.
I thought of Elijah who was fed bread made with the last of the widow of Zarephath’s oil and flour and yet her flour jar and her oil jug did not run dry. In the midst of this miracle the widow’s son became ill and died. In her grief, she accused Elijah of coming to her house to call attention to her sin that she might pay the consequences. Elijah asked for her son, took him from her arms, laid him on his bed and prayed, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!” And something happened. The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer and restored the boy’s life. (1 Kings 17:8-24). Elijah prayed and something happened – something miraculous.
At this point I figured I should be paying attention to the lecture given I was paying money to do so – but the next day on my walk I continued to reflect on the something that always happens when we pray. I thought of Peter, imprisoned for his faith in Jesus. The church was praying fervently to God for him and something happened. Even though Peter was chained, flanked by 16 soldiers who stood guard over him, an angel of the Lord appeared, a bright light shone in his cell, and the chains, that once bound, fell off, and Peter, thinking he was seeing a vision, dreaming a dream, was escorted by the angel out of the prison. When he realized it was no dream, he went to the house where the church was gathered praying for him. Rhoda went to answer the outer door but when she heard Peter’s voice she was so excited that she left the poor guy standing there and ran back to share the good news with her prayer partners. They thought Rhoda was crazy, or that perhaps it was Peter’s angel who was at the gate. I guess they didn’t know, (or didn’t take seriously), that when someone prays, something always happens. Well, maybe they did, but such a something was way beyond anything they could have ever imagined, so when they finally opened the door and saw that indeed Peter was there – they were amazed. (Acts 12:1-16). A church prayed something happened – something amazing. 
I thought of the prayers Jesus raised. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, (Jesus) got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying, but his prayers were interrupted because everyone was looking for Him. (Mark 1:35,36). 
I thought of Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, ““Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:1-5). 
Jesus also prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me – nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42). Jesus prayed and something happened – something for all people, for all time, the gift of the forgiveness of sins, the gift of eternal life. Jesus prayed and something happened – Jesus’s prayer might not have been answered according to His will, but was certainly answered according to His Father’s will and the world was forever changed. 
A couple of weeks ago our church was asked to pray for a family in crisis. Some met and prayed. Others responded to an email request for prayer. And when we prayed something happened – God heard our cries and His Hand protected, spared and saved, just as we had prayed for. Yet, there are other times when our prayers are not answered as hoped, but even in those times we can trust that when we pray something is happening. God is listening. God is working His greater plan and is faithful in responding in light of His abundant love and mercy. 
Yes indeed, Dr. Wardle, when we pray something always happens. It was true then, it is true for us today. So, as Paul would say, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6). And do so in the complete confidence that when you pray something always happens!
You might want to take a moment to meditate on how knowing that, believing that, might affect your prayer life!
Have a blessed week,
Peggy