Sunday night we heard a wonderful sermon about resting in Jesus and just exactly
what this means. One statement that stood out particularly in my mind was
something the speaker quoted from a well known evangelist who was heard to say
he never prays for himself because he simply trusts God to know and care for his
needs. This gives him a lot more time to interceed for others.
This was still fresh in my mind and I was kind of looking for ways to try it,
when I got home from work to learn that the neighbor's hamster, who we had been
caring for while they were away on vacation, had escaped. Rob and the boys had
already spent an hour and a half looking for the little thing, with no success.
Wow. Here was my opportunity! So I gave it to God. Then, of course, because I am
still me, I took it back and gave it to God all over again. This happened --
well let's say, about a zillion times? And of course, in between were several
frantic searches of the neighbor's house.
But this morning I just decided to stand on God's promises. I praised God that
the hamster would be found--today! The devil kept trying to place doubt in my
mind (You know, like, "maybe you could just buy them another one!" Or "What on
EARTH are you going to tell those little girls???"), but I just kept coming back
with the truth of God's word -- that He looks after all of His creatures, that
he hears and answers ALL our prayers if we only believe, and if I only had faith
the size of a mustard seed, I could move a mountain -- something far bigger than
that little hamster!
Anyway, about 10:00 this morning, God told me to go over to the neighbor's house
and I would find the hamster. So I went. But he wasn't there. So I cried out to
God, "I thought you told me he'd be here! Am I just imagining that I am hearing
your voice?"
Then I quieted down for a moment to listen for God's answer. But I didn't hear
God's voice. Instead I heard the scratching of little hamster feet, coming from
the inside back of the neighbor's hide-a-bed couch! Well, I won't go into the
details of what I had to go through to get him OUT of the couch, except to say
that prayer played a big part of that too . . . But praise the Lord! The hamster
has been found, and the couch is still in one piece! My friends, if we choose to
stand firm on the Word of God, taking EVERY thought captive in obedience to
Jesus by striking out all doubt as it enters our mind, using the Sword of the
Spirit by claiming the promises of God's word, not only can we move mountains,
but we can find hamsters!
Lyn Chaffart
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