“I was reading again in Luke’s gospel the other day,” Stan mentioned one morning while we were eating breakfast. “I saw what looks to me to be a perfect model for what I’m supposed to do when God answers my prayers.”
“Thank Him?”
“Certainly that,” Stan replied, “but I think He wants me to go beyond just thanking Him.”
“Go beyond thanking God for answered prayers? How?”
“Just like Bartimaeus,” Stan replied.
“Just like who?”
“Quick recap,” Stan said. “Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to go to the cross. At one point, when He was getting close to Jericho, there was a blind man named Bartimaeus who was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out to Him.”
“That’s what we’re supposed to do, call out to Jesus. Is that the point?”
“We are to call out to Jesus all of the time, not just when He happens to be passing by,” Stan replied. “You’re right about that, but that’s not the point here.”
“What is?”
“After Jesus stopped and had Bartimaeus say what he wanted Jesus to do for him, and Jesus healed his blindness, that’s when Bartimaeus modeled what I think I’m supposed to do when God answers my prayers, but too often I don’t”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Luke records,” Stan said, “that when Bartimaeus received his sight, he began following Jesus, glorifying God.”
“Following Jesus and glorifying God,” I repeated. “That sounds like a great way to respond to answered prayer.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Stan asked without expecting an answer. “It makes me think about what I do when God answers my prayers. Do I follow Jesus as a disciple and glorify God?”
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Bible verses to consider:
And immediately he received his sight, and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God. Luke 18:43.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.
Prayer: Father, you are worthy of all praise, honor, and glory, but too often I do not express that in the way you want and deserve. Please forgive the foolishness of receiving answers to my prayers without giving you all the glory for those answers. Help me follow every step of your lead in responding the way you want when you answer my prayers. Help me to give you all of the praise, honor, and glory. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him so you can give Him all of the glory for that? If no, why do you want to remain separated from God? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with how you give God the glory for His answers to your prayers? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 