Answered prayers.

God just got me my Internet back. My in-home network disappeared, I couldn't get it to work, and my computer expert is at sea. So I prayed, "Lord, please give me my Internet back," and inexplicably, the next time I logged in, the answer revealed itself.

I do a lot of praying for things, but it occurs to me that I don't often remember to thank God for answering my prayers. Sometimes I forget that I had to pray about a certain situation, and sometimes I just forge ahead through the door that he's opened. But I very often forget to say thank you to God or to tell someone else about my "deliverance." (I don't mean to use the idea of deliverance lightly, but if you knew how hopeless I am with computers . . . ).

I can think of two fervent prayers that I sent up yesterday while driving the I-5 home from the in-laws (Cars are kind of like computers for me. I can handle them as long as nothing unexpected comes along, and every now and again I do something stupid that should compromise my situation but doesn't.). The first prayer was of course "Lord, please get us home safely." The second is less distinct in my mind now, but it had something to do with the abysmal traffic south of Woodlawn Cougar and finding a bathroom in time. Or maybe it was the huge piece of siding that I ran over but didn't actually damage my car. Both were answered in the affirmative. After all, here I am, typing right now. But I had been home for about an hour and a half before I realized that I was sitting in my kitchen chair eating yogurt and Oatmeal Crisp because of the grace and providence of God, or in short because he loves me and wants me to be safe. He had answered my prayer.

Hudson Taylor, a famous missionary to Africa, kept a diary of his prayers. He wrote his prayers along with the date on one side of the page, and he wrote the answers with the date on the other side of the page. He always left room for the answers because he knew there would be answers -- concrete, specific answers to concrete, specific needs. I don't know if he told other people about the answers to prayers that he got, but isn't that the simplest form of praise?

Look at the psalms sometime. Often they are prayers or recitals of what God has done. "You heard my plea and you answered me. You put me in a safe place and put my enemies to shame. Please do it again next time." (general summary, not an actual psalm) If I spent time doing the same thing, would I be in a better state of mind? Would I expect answers more often? Would I have bigger hopes and expectations for the world, stronger surety as I prayed, bigger faith, more concrete love? Would I be more submissive as I waited for prayers to be answered if I had a litany of the prayers he has already answered on my behalf? Would I pray with more faith? I think so.

I remember listening to a lullaby on a cd when Boogaloo was just born. It's a very familiar lullaby. "Lullaby and good night. Go to sleep little baby. Lullaby and good night. Go to sleep my little child." Everyone can quote that part, but I had never learned the chorus, and it took me by surprise. "If God will, thou shalt wake when the morning does break. If God will, thou shalt wake when the morning does break." I was aghast. I thought that was an awful thing to plant in a small child's head. But then I watched my Boogaloo wake up every morning, and I realized that she was awake, and that meant that God had willed to give me another day with her. Life got so much happier when I realized that I should attribute the good things to God's will as well as the bad.

The same principle applies with answered prayers. To realize that God has answered our prayers and acted on our behalf is to realize that he will do so again. It's a building block in our estimation of his character to remember that God hears, sees, and does on a daily basis, and this doing is the foundation of our well being. He got me home safely. I won't quite call that a miracle because that would disparage my driving more than necessary, but considering all the things that can happen on the road, I don't mind being the object of a direct application of divine providence either. And I like the fact that I can call on God, and he has already heard.