God still answers prayers

"I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!" Isaiah 65:24 NLT

If there's one thing I love about the Saturday morning group I run with, it's their sense of adventure; this crew loves running in different places. So when I invited them to join me on a new trail, they were immediately in. "Okay," I told them at the start (knowing everyone had GPS watches) "the plan is to run two-and-a-half miles out and then circle back so we can grab water." After they all agreed, we were off. But guess what? Most of us didn't go back. We were having so much fun that we kept exploring the trail until we were nearly eight miles out and knew we had to turn around because two of the girls had not packed a personal hydration device. And as we made our way back, I could tell they were growing increasingly thirsty and so prayed, "Oh Lord. Please bring these girls some cold water." And that's when it happened. Our friend, Rebecca, who had wisely turned around earlier in the run and had later felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to come to our aid, drove to find us to deliver a cooler full of ice-cold water bottles. How's that for an answered prayer? 

And you know, the Bible is very clear that God still answers prayers. In fact, Isaiah tells us that before you and I even call out to Him in prayer, while we are still talking about our needs even, that God is working to answer them. Is that amazing or what? Our God is so loving and intimate that He orchestrates people and things to act in such a way and with such precise timing that we can't do anything but say, "Thank you God. I know that was You." How else can you explain not only the way the Lord answered my prayer Saturday but the countless ways He has answered prayers since the beginning of time? God is so good!

So today I implore you to consider the many ways God has answered your prayers in the past that you might have confidence that He will do it again. And I invite you to share the good things God has done in your life with others that they might be inspired to also seek the only One who can cause us to say, "Thank you God. I know that was You." 

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing Yourself faithful in ways too numerous to count. I see prayers being answered today that were years in the making and it makes me ever more confident that You are real and that You are faithful. Lord, help those who doubt You to consider my testimony and to step out in faith to boldly pray that You would reveal Yourself in the same way to them. It's in your precious Name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!! 

Faithful then - Vertical Worship