After you say “Amen”

March 16, 2007

By William E. Richardson

As soon as you say “Amen” at the end of a prayer, what do you do? Weeks or months may pass without a visible answer from God. Do you patiently wait or at some point start wondering, questioning God?

The time between your prayer request and visible prayer results may challenge your faith. Whatever request you’re waiting now to see fulfilled, here’s something to keep in mind: God’s not haphazard. He’s orderly. He’s timely.

The four seasons follow one another according to God’s arrangement. Every season reminds us we serve a God of perfect order and timing. The summer heat and the winter chill remind us. The sight of spring’s colorful flowers and fall’s withering leaves remind us.

God promised Noah, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22, NKJV). Let the seasonal evidence of God’s appropriate timing build your faith while you wait.

The night sky reminds us of God’s orderliness. During the winter months some of the brightest stars, as seen from earth, are visible. You can’t miss the large constellation Orion (the hunter). It dominates the winter sky and contains stars that appear white, blue and red.

God has kept those stars in place for thousands of years. “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4). The universe contains billions of stars. God’s never lost track of one. No matter how long ago you first mentioned it, you can be sure God hasn’t lost track of your prayer request either.

Let the animal kingdom build your faith while you wait for that answer. Pick any animal, bird or insect. It doesn’t matter what creature you choose. Since the Garden of Eden, its kind has followed whatever instincts God placed inside it.

Certain birds and butterflies know when to migrate. Other animals know when to hibernate. Salmon know when to swim against the current, but not against the instincts God gave them. God clearly declared His control of the animal kingdom (see Job 38,39). That told Job regardless of his situation God was still in control.

While waiting for God to answer that certain prayer, let every sign of the changing seasons, every star, every animal following its instincts, help you trust God. Let them remind you He keeps the universe together with orderliness. Let them assure you He’s also working right now on the best answer to your prayer.

After you say “Amen,” you have ample reason to trust God to answer your request in His wisdom, in His time.

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.