The Gift Of Unanswered Prayers

Exodus 2:4 

"And his sister stood afar off, to wit 

what would be done to him"

    What if God answered every prayer with a resounding YES? Would the world be a better and happier place or a worse one? what if God had answered Miriam’s prayer as she stood among the reeds next to the Nile River where her baby brother Moses floated in a basket designed to the protect him as he drifted in the water?  

    Miriam and her mother had placed Moses in the basket as a last resort. The Egyptians had resolved to kill every single Hebrew baby boy. Miriam and her mother hoped that who ever would find the infant would have mercy on him. Miriam watched to find out her baby brother’s fate. Miriam prayed for Moses protection and prayed that no Egyptian would find him.   

    Who should come along but the daughter of Pharaoh himself! The daughter of the very man who proclaimed: "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive." (Exodus 1:22).

Miriam watches as Pharaoh’s daughter see him and she reaches for the basket and takes him as her son. It was a good thing that God didn't answer Miriam's prayer! If God had done what she asked, Moses would have drifted off and drowned. Instead he grew up in Pharaoh’s home where he  become a leader who redeem Israel.

    Like Miriam, we don’t always get what we pray for. But we always get what we need, and that makes all the difference. When we pray for one thing and we don’t get what we asked for, it feels as though one of two things has happened. Either God didn’t hear our prayers, or He has denied us a gift. But neither is true. God hears every one of our prayers. Sometimes He says "yes" and other times He says "no." But when God says "no," it’s not because He doesn’t want us to have good things. When God says "no" to what we asked for, it’s because He has something even greater to give us! When your prayers seem to go unanswered, think of Miriam standing desperately by the Egyptian Nile. Thank God for your unanswered prayers because those are often the greatest gifts of all. 

Amen!

Reading: Ex. Chapter 1 and 2

Ref: HG SB

 May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert Lail Sr. 

The Cross Life Ministry