Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Confident (07/05/07)
-
TITLE: A Daily Faith | Previous Challenge Entry
By Cathy Kane
07/12/07 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it,” she quoted jubilantly, as was her custom.
Margaret had been a morning person all of her life. She loved the feeling of being awake before the rest of the world. She knew that it was silly, but she always felt that she had the Lord all to herself in the early morning hours. As a young wife and mother, she had developed the habit of rising early for bible study and prayer.
“I like to get my prayer requests in early, before He gets hounded by the rest of the world,” she told everyone jokingly.
Believers and unbelievers alike marveled as God honored Margaret’s prayers concerning every aspect of her life. From ailing pets to wisdom for her children, Margaret made all of her requests known to the Lord. As a result, everyone was attracted to her peaceful countenance, calm assurance and hopeful disposition.
Margaret’s husband was blessed with a good job and a good reputation in the community. Each one of her children came to know the Lord at an early age. Although they were never rich, Margaret’s family always had food to eat and money to pay their own bills and to help others in need.
The neighbors observed Margaret and her family walk confidently through each trial that came their way. “Remember Jesus said that in this world we would have tribulations, but to be of good cheer, for He had overcome the world,” Margaret would paraphrase encouragingly in adverse conditions.
The years passed and God satisfied Margaret and her husband with a long life. They praised Him when each one of their children married believers and established Christian families of their own. After her husband went to his heavenly reward, Margaret moved in to her oldest daughter’s home, where her prayer life was legendary among her three grandchildren.
“How come God always answers your prayers?” her grandson, Matthew, asked her one day.
“God answers the prayers of all of his children – sometimes with a yes and other times with a no and always in His own good time. But, if you are asking why God says yes to my prayers, it’s because I pray in faith, believing, and according to God’s word,” Margaret replied.
“So, will you ask God to give me a million dollars?” asked Matthew, with a mischievous grin.
“No,” said Margaret, “but I will pray that God will provide all of your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
“So, that’s the trick,’ said Matthew thoughtfully.
“There’s nothing tricky about it,” his grandmother assured him. “God’s word, the Bible, is sacred. You can depend on God to keep His promises. But it’s more than just knowing quotes from the Bible. You have to abide in it.”
“Yep,” agreed her granddaughter, Rachel, “If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done to you. That’s John 15:7. Mom taught me that scripture.”
“And you gotta forgive, isn’t that right, Grandma?” chimed in little Andrew.
“That’s right, Andrew. Nothing will hinder prayer like unforgiveness,” Margaret agreed.
“And don’t forget to have your attitude and motives right,” Rachel reminded her brothers.
“I think that you can make a scriptural case for that, too, Rachel,” said Margaret with a tender smile.
“And I know what you are doing right now, Grandma. You are training us up in the way that we should go, so when we get old, we won’t depart from it,” pronounced Andrew.
“Smart boy,” complimented Grandma Margaret.
“Mom taught us that,” replied her grandchildren.
Margaret smiled at her grandchildren and gave thanks in her heart. She would not fear for these children in this sin-sick world. She would continue to put her faith in God and pray, confident that God would complete the good work that He had begun in her and her family.
************************************************************************
Margaret’s life is modeled on the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. Scripture references: Psalm 118:24, Phil.4:6-8, John 16:33, Phil. 4:19, Mark 11:25, Phil.1:6
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.