Answered Prayer

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
2nd Peter 1:5-10 ESV

I met a woman tonight named Lynn. She had a beat up truck, a worn out dog, and a Bible that seemed to be used as a makeshift folder. She was tired... no. She looked more beat up and worn out than the truck and dog combined. She'd pulled up to the gas pump as I was starting to pull away. She half-waved and I stopped and put the window down to ask, "How're you doing?"

My logical brain was begging for my attention, "Don't stop, you don't know if she's got a gun." "You're a sucker for a sob story." "You're not giving her anything." My heart won. As I pulled over, I prayed, "Father, let me say what You want me to say... and please don't let her have a gun..."

As I got out of my car and walked toward her truck, it dawned on me that she might be praying the same thing about a gun... "You see me?" she asked unbelieving. "You rolled your window down to talk to me?" and with my affirmative reply, she began to weep. "You stopped for me..." more tears.

And it pierced my heart. How many times has God stopped for me, seen me, talked to me when I didn't think He would or should...

I prayed with her, gave her what money I had, it wasn't much (normally, I never carry cash) and then we parted... she never did buy any gasoline. I don't remember any of our conversation or prayer except I mentioned the answers were there on her dashboard, pointing to her Bible, and she replied, "I always have that to fall back on." And it struck my spirit - how often do we use God as the back-up plan - something or Someone to fall back on... when everything else we've tried in our own strength has failed?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for the times we have failed to seek You first. Thank You for the opportunity to be Your hand extended. Thank You for continually teaching us and loving us enough to give us ample opportunities to love. Let us never forget how far You've brought us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen