Sliding into bed, I felt the cool softness of the freshly laundered sheets against my hot skin. I plopped my tired head down on the cushy pillow and sighed.
I soon slipped away into that land of make-believe, that place of fantasy where thoughts and experiences of the day merge to produce an IMAX, full-color dream.
Darkness surrounded me. I walked sometime on a dusty, dirt path until it came to an end.
In a blink of a moment, I found myself standing before a beautiful, towering gate made of a single pearl. I must have triggered an alarm because an ethereal figure appeared and opened the gate, beckoning me to come in. I knew I must be in heaven.
Skittish, I wanted to ask him who he was and what his function was, but he answered before I asked, “I am a servant of the Lord. It is my job to help the Lord develop answers to prayer.”
As he silently led me down a long hall, I kept hearing bells or buzzing sounds. We stopped at what appeared to be a workshop with a multitude of heavenly figures busy at work. My guide motioned for me to look around.
I watched as these workers appeared to weave cords together. As I stood pondering their activity, I turned to ask my guide what they were doing but he disappeared. Just as I thought the question, I heard the Lord immediately answer me…
“These are My servants who weave the elements of answers with the cords of thoughts, words, deeds, actions, and circumstances of those on earth who pray.”
I became aware of a loud ticking and noticed a very large clock on the wall. I also noticed each cord had a timer and a scroll attached to it. Curious as to the purpose of this, I formulated the question in my head and the Lord answered…
“Within each scroll is the answer to each prayer. So many elements go into each answer. However, every time a person on earth, who is connected to the advancement of the answer, makes a decision that deviates from My plan and will, the workers must unweave a portion of the cord, back up, and work in a different direction.
“Each deviation from My plan not only changes the process and outcome but also alters the hands on the clock, setting them back and activating a divergent result. I can only bring the best answer when My children obey My will. When answers are ready, the timers go off.”
Ahhh, I thought. That’s what that sound was. Answered prayers!
The question came to my mind as to what people did that altered or delayed the answers to their prayers. The response came…
“Complaining, wrong choices or attitudes, negativity, impurity, unforgiveness, ingratitude, all sins and things against My will push the timing back for the answer to be sent. If they only realized their answer is the closest to fruition when they obey.”
Servants then entered the workroom with large boxes marked either with “NO” or “DELAYED” and ripped out the appropriate woven cords, placing them in their boxes. As the servants carried out the boxes to be stored away, tears streamed down their faces.
Oh, Lord, I pondered, why are Your servants filled with tears?
“Because they know the results of disobedience. Some who pray become increasingly impatient and frustrated. They falter in their obedience. The faith of some wanes or disappears altogether. But those waiting in faithful anticipation and thanksgiving have peace, while peace eludes the others, because of their negativity and lack of trust in Me.”
The Lord’s voice trailed off and the dream ended.
Do I have any prayers in the workshop awaiting answers? Am I doing anything against God’s will that delays them? If I thought the answer would come more quickly, would I alter my behavior?
What about you?
Hooking up with…
Soli deo Gloria Sisterhood
Laura Boggess
Purposeful Faith
Words of Life
