1. Sit at your table and pray for an apple.
2. Plant some apple tree seeds, care for the seedling every day and pray that it will bear fruit.
3. Go out and buy an apple (but you only get one.)
Obviously, I'm talking about something much bigger than apples. When we desire something in life, anything really, we have the choice to simply hope it will arrive, "plant the seeds" and pray for success, or take a chance by pursuing our desires completely on our own ambition and resources. I'm come to realize that #2 is probably the best method. I really don't think God operates under the principles of option #1. Throughout scripture we see the Lord give his people instructions and take things one step further. For example, Jesus told the servants at the wedding at Cana in Galilee to fill jars with water before he turned it all into wine. He did not make wine appear from thin air and he did not instruct the servants to go purchase the wine.Likewise, I believe that God has big plans for us, plans that are bigger than what we can accomplish on our own, and yet he desires to include us. This process contradicts what the world worships: selfish ambition, greed and instant gratification. But when God is in the business of turning water into wine, I don't want to operate under the world's terms.
Tonight, my husband and I planted some seeds and filled our jars with water. If you find a little moment in your busy day, ask the Lord to give us apples and wine. We really need it.
Praying for lots of apples and wine for you and your family. :)
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of a joke I read once:
ReplyDeleteThere was a man who had many financial problems. It wasn't because he was irresponsible or anything like that, he'd just had a bad run of luck in life. He and his family were in great need, and no matter how hard he worked it was never enough. So he prayed to God to let him win the lottery. He prayed this every day for a month or two. He began to get more and more frustrated as time went buy and he didn't win anything. So one day he finally said "Ok, listen God, I have been praying fervently to win the lottery. I need to take care of my family, I don't want to be greedy. Why haven't you let me win the lottery???? A big booming voice echoed from the sky... "YOU HAVE TO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET". :)