DAY 34: Prayer

God Answers Prayers

Luke 18:1-8

The Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.


Recently, my youth group attended a youth gathering in a hotel where a lot of airline employees slept, so everyone was reminded to be quiet so the pilots could sleep. Earlier that night, a child had nearly drowned in the hotel pool. That night at devotions, my youth group prayed for these things: That the pilots might get sleep so they wouldn't crash planes, that the boy in the hospital might be well enough to return, and that we all would have a good time the next day.

The next morning, we found the boy had returned from the hospital, no planes crashed, and we had a great day. These seem like small things, but they are also answered prayers. Often when we pray for things it seems as if we are only willing to pray for the things we are pretty sure of already. Perhaps we need to be bolder in our prayers, and trust that God is powerful enough to answer.


Do I have faith that God answers prayers? In what ways does God answer?


Prayer:
God, help me to remember to pray, for myself and for all people, and to be bold in my prayers, trusting in your will. Help me notice the answers. Amen


Action step:

• Keep a prayer journal near your bed. Write down your prayers, and then every once and awhile, read through your prayers and notice the way God answered them.
• Keep praying for things that seem impossible, like solutions and relief for hunger and poverty throughout the world.

contributed by Holly Johnson