Go figure!

Matthew 7: 7-8

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (NIV)

Today I declared a semi-sabbath (meaning there were a few non-negotiables, but I guarded all I could control). The husband is out of town, the oldest was at school, and the youngest was happy to do a sabbath with me.I started with a sweet time of musical worship & enjoyed praying out loud to my attentive Father. I resisted the urge to run to the "asking" and lingered in "praising and adoring".

As the morning unfolded, I poured out specifics on my heart and asked for specific answers. As I "poured," I wondered why I am often slow, even hesitant, to ask for specific answers (I think this was the Holy Spirit pointing!). Am I afraid God won't answer? Prayer isn't a like a Tide to go pen, fixing spots in my life with the application of a pen ... or a prayer.

There weren't rays of light beaming from my house, no angelic music, and no halo on the heads of the dog or children. Just quiet time to pray, to read, to listen, to think, to be still.

I feel refreshed spiritually, physically, mentally. I talked about the value of sabbath time in a series of 4 Posts that started HERE last winter. I am always thankful for the filling that comes from times of sabbath. Thank You Lord for waiting for me, for filling me, for pulling me back to Your thoughts. I'm so glad I was with You today.

Before the morning was over, the Lord gave clear direction about two retreats I've been thinking about, praying over, and struggling with. I'm excited about the visions God gave me today for these two separate times. Maybe God was waiting for me to be still, to listen to Him at length, and to ask ... He was ready to give. Why didn't I ask sooner? Not just a "passing" asking, but an undistracted, intentional, "serious business" asking. What if I had come sooner? Had listened longer? Had taken sabbath time earlier?

I'm on the "priority list" (topic for another post) for a flu shot injection, not mist. I've been waiting for a new shipment of Flu shots to come in; I came in a few hrs too late for the first batch. I asked my Bible study group last night to pray that I could find a flu shot ... a little worry was creeping in. I decided God may use a flu shot to enable my body to fight what might level me. When my sabbath hours were over, I picked up our oldest and headed to the doctor for allergy shots. I asked if they had a new supply of vaccine. Yes! Just a few hours before, it arrived, and I was able to get one. It was right on time for me.

Prayer is not the "buy it now" option on ebay, guaranteeing it's yours, no waiting. But we can get so busy working hard to provide for our needs and overcome our problems that we forget to ASK God. Today I asked, and God was so kind to provide. Go figure!

Is there something you have been wrestling with or worrying over? Have you had any sabbath time to be quiet, undisturbed, still? Did you ASK yet? It may not be immediate, but we can persist in prayer, and God will give us patience and help as we wait or as we accept a better answer. I can vouch for the value of time to listen, to pray, to wait.

If I can pray with you about something, feel free to click "Contact Julie" at the top to send an email, or include it in a comment by clicking "comments" below. Can't wait for my next sabbath!