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Thursday, March 5, 2020

Your Dying Spouse 738 - Petitionary Prayers {Five Minute Friday}

So often when we pray, we're asing God for something...

Heal me!
Heal my spouse/child/parent/friend/pet!
Heal my relationship!
Heal my finances!
Heal my faith!

Notice a pattern here? We're almost always praying for healing, of one sort or another.

These are good prayers, the kind that we're supposed to pray.

All the more reason for it to break God's heart when He has to say, No.

We almost never know exactly why God says no...we're in the position of the good kid who works hard in school, gets good grades, saves money...and wants, at sixteen, to buy a Corvette.

As a parent, you've got to put the kibosh on that one. Not because of a lack of trust, but because of a knowledge of temptation the kid's going to have, with all that horsepower to call his own.

And seeing the disappointment, you've just got to hurt for him.

And for yourself, too, because you want to give happiness.

But sometimes good and happy are not on the same page, and you've got to go with good.

And sometimes healing isn't good, either.

For me, well...I would have loved to have been healed in years past, but it's become clear that finding and sharing both joy and hope along the Cancer Road is what I'm here to do; I've touched people in a way that I could never have dreamt of, have found my own faith strengthened by trial (when I thought the reverse would happen), and have found, indeed, the happiest days of my life.

Would I want all that 'healed' away?

Not likely.

But I do figure that God is, Himself, heartbroken over the sincere prayers for healing of one type or another to which He has to say, No.

So I figured I'd cheer Him up.

The sonnet below first appeared in Joe Siccardi's blog post, Pray As You Go.

I know that God really cares,
and I bet He's crying after
all those intercession-prayers,
so I think I'll pray some laughter.
"Dear Lord, You know that I can be
a pain unto the neck,
so make me more like Donkey,
as seen, You know, on Shrek.
Let me make the groans take wing
with jokes that are so awful,
that to quiet me, all will bring
tall stacks of syrup'd waffle.
And dear God, if this be Your choice,
please give me Eddie Murphy's voice."

Here's Donkey, singing La Vida Loca from Shrek 2.





Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

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28 comments:

  1. love the perspective switch. Good on you. :)

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    1. Thank you so much, Annette! And please forgive the very late reply. Internet was out for several days.

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  2. Reminds me of that country song about unanswered prayers. Our Abba knows not just what we want (we're always quick to tell him), but what we need (we're not too quick to accept it).

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    1. Anita, you're so right! (And please excuse the extreme tardiness of my reply.)

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  3. Full of wisdom and wit as usual, Andrew.
    Maybe we also have to look at the definition of 'healing'?
    I think we often use it to mean 'cure' or 'return things to how they used to be'. But, more and more, I think God means something closer to 'peace' or 'wholeness'.
    I think He does say no to our definition of healing sometimes, but I'm not sure that He ever does to His.

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    1. Liz, thank you so much, and I love your definition of healing. Spot on. (And please pardon my late reply.)

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  4. (((((Andrew)))))

    Thank you for this.

    My mother (her son died of leukemia) was deeply hurt by church people who said that if your prayers are not answered the way you want, it means you don't have enough faith.
    To this day, she will not repeat with them, "The prayers of the faithful are powerful and effective."

    Annie in Texas

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    1. ((((((Annie!))))))

      I am so sorry for what your mother had to endure at the hands of those thoughtless busybodies. (And please excuse my late reply; internet service was gone for several days.)

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  5. Andrew, you brought to mind Garth Brooks' song, Unanswered Prayers and I have had a few myself. I am so grateful our paths crossed way back when. Your journey is one that has blessed, made us cry, made us laugh, and pointed us to the One who has sustained you every step of the way. Praying for you, and Barb, this morning!

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    1. Joanne, thank you so much for this, and most especially for your prayers.

      I'm absolutely delighted to know you; it's been an honour. (And please pardon the very late reply!)

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  6. Andrew, I am not ready to say goodbye to you! But I do a lot of tug-o-war with God lately, and He always wins and I'm always left on the ground with scraped knees. It s how he gets me on my knees I guess, and, yes, now it is my happy place, on them knees with all my scrapes. Your words will bless people for years to come. Blogs don't go away, unless you shut them down, I guess, but why would you, with words like yours and hope and humor and struggle and hurt and raw reality! We all need some raw reality!! And again you cracked my heart and cracked me up all in a few sentences! I love you my friend. Looking forward to reading your next words!

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    1. Oh, Mary, your words really opened my heart, and made my days! You're always so gracious...thank you for this!

      And please excuse the tardy reply; the internet just did not want to play.

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  7. I like what Mary Hood says above me!

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    1. Me, too, Susan, and thank you so much for being here!(And please forgive my late reply!)

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  8. I love the way you lean on God more than substantial evidence of His love. Thankyou for a very precious post.

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    1. Innerdialects, thank you so much for this lovely affirmation! (And please excuse my very late reply.)

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  9. Another good one. You outdid yourself! Love the message...and so true. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have a question. What brings you joy at this point in time?

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    1. My dear Norma, thank you so much for this (and please pardon my lateness in responding...internet troubles).

      To answer your question of what brings joy...there are so many things! Joking with barb through ASL, the dogs, the feral cats that follow me aroun, the cows that periodically invade the yard, sunrises, sunsets, starry nights, a distant flashing thunderstorm at dusk, music from Mercy Me and Casting Crowns, good books (and the Good Book), good preaching on TV, waffles, black cherry Fresca, Rockstar and Rip-It energy drinks...there's just so much.

      Joy abounds!

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  10. I love this post, Andrew! It's so true that God knows what is best for us, even if it's not the same as our idea of what is best. I hadn't really thought before about it hurting God to answer our prayers as we want, but I think that's true. Even though he knows what is best for us, it must hurt him to see us in pain.

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    1. Lesley, thank you so much for this...and is it not somewhat awesome that we have a God Who hurts when we do?

      Thank you so much for being here, and please excuse my tardy reply.

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  11. You've made me think, Andrew. I kind of feel like I've been praying not-so-faith-filled prayers for you. I've actually not prayed for your healing because I've felt like that's clearly not possible. Instead, I've prayed for you to have joy in each day and to feel God's comforting presence in between the pain and deterioration. Maybe I should have been praying for your healing, but I certainly feel as if I should add at least one new request--that God grow your influence and impact on others. It's already great, but remember what Jesus did with five fish and two loaves? Maybe there's room for much more!

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    1. Beth, in a sense, a very real sense, I'm already healed, because my heart is at peace, and I accept that this is the road upon which God has set my feet. Sure, it's uncomfortable, and sure it's ometimes scary, but it would be churlish of me to demand something else, when He's already blessed my life with so much, in so many ways...

      ...and not the least of this is the wonderful community out there, people who read and respond to my words. I could never have imagined this life, a life so lovely, and I would never trade it away.

      Thank you so much for the prayers you send, and especially for being here in sisterhood and faith; your friendship means the world to me.

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  12. The idea of God's heart breaking when saying no...I've never thought of that. I'm really hesitant to pray for healing, for the reasons you mentioned. It's quite enlightening to hear your perspective on it.

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    1. Katha, it took me a long time to come to terms with God's heart breaking at saying no...but it has come to make a lot of sense to me.

      Thank you so much for being here, and please excuse my slow response.

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  13. Andrew, what insight you bring to the idea of when God has to say no. Oh my goodness, you nailed it, in my mind. The thought that God's heart breaks when He sees our heart desires, but He knows it's not what best so He lovingly says no resonates deeply with me.

    And your sonnet? Yeah, that may have made me smile really big. I'm praying for you, my friend.

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    1. Jeanne, wow, thank you so much for this affirmation...and especially for your prayers.

      I'm so glad I could give you a smile!

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