God often
answers my more desperate questions - at first anyway - as though they were “Who…?” questions.
If my
heart’s cry is, “What are we going to do?” His
response seems to be “I am.”
If I pray, “How am I going to
make ends meet?” He seems to reply with, “I am.”
If I say,
“Where can I go for an answer to this dilemma?” I feel like
He says, “I am.”
If I
think, “Why is this happening?” I’m reassured with
the words, “I am.”
This
repetitive reminder of His existence to me, could mean He wants my
complete trust; with simple faith in Him, not in anything else I want or need.
This might also be Him pointing me to
Himself as His answer to everything.
It’s like He’s saying, “Let Me guide you, in my timing, to
each of the answers you desire; but right now, what you really need is a real
relationship with Myself.”
Maybe
it's just me, but a desire to be independent and self-sufficient oftentimes distracts me from the call to know The Lord
for Who He really is; which is life's greatest opportunity.
If all our prayers
were always answered, whenever and however we want, we could be tempted to rely
on those answers, instead of on Him; thus making our faith self-centered
instead of Christ centered.
I think
He wants to be the answer to our prayers so our relationship with Him can grow
closer.
There is
a nearness to Him available to each of us.
Check out JAMES 4:8a.
“Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you……”
Here is a
list of possible needs coupled with statements made by The Lord that could apply
to them.
Are you in need of true rest? Jesus said, “Come
unto Me, …., and I will give you rest.” MATTHEW
11:28
Are you fearful of a storm in your
life? He literally said, “I
am! Do not be afraid.” JOHN 6:20
Are you hungry? He also said, “I am the bread of life.” JOHN 6:35
Are you thirsty? Christ promised believers “…living water….” JOHN 7:37-39
Are you feeling locked in or left out?
Our Messiah said, “I am the door.” JOHN
10:7
Are
you lacking leadership? The Lord said, “I
am the good shepherd.” JOHN
10:11
Are you wanting to die? Jesus said, “I am
the resurrection and the life.” JOHN
11:25
Are you lost? He
said, “I am the way.” JOHN
14:6
Are you confused? He also
said, “I am the truth.” JOHN 14:6
Are you lacking fruitfulness? Christ
said, “I am the true vine.” JOHN 15:1
Are you struggling with priorities? Jesus
said, "I
am the first and the last." REVELATION
1:17
In conclusion, when you earnestly pray,
don’t be discouraged if all you get is, “I am” at the time. He truly is the first and final answer for
everything.
Andrae Crouch was right when he sang, “Jesus is the
answer for the world today.....”
