Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

~Jeremiah 29:12 ESV

The day had come–the day for an answered prayer. I sat on a bench that faced the escalator, watching people who had just arrived from the Phoenix to Orange County flight. My stomach knotted. The calm tone of my friend’s voice as she conversed with me over my cell phone was the only thing keeping me from running back to my car and driving away.

The Anticipation

What was I thinking when I agreed to this meeting? Would I even recognize him? Would he recognize me? Or would he walk right past me? Then, I saw him. 

To this day, I don’t know how I knew it was him. I just did. He was slightly on the short side like me, had a bit of a belly, and was dressed in a blue Hawaiian shirt, tan shorts, and flip-flops. He appeared ready for the beach. While he made his way down the escalator, my heart pounded, and my cheeks turned red. I tried not to stare.

The Meeting

To my amazement, he knew me, too. He walked up to me and hugged me. As we reunited after a twenty-four-year absence, I thanked God for answering the prayer I had prayed for as long as I could remember: that someday I would meet and hug my biological father.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in life, it’s that sometimes miracles take time. And this was one of those times. Some of the most significant prayers I’ve seen answered in miraculous ways are the ones I’ve prayed for the longest.

Perhaps this is why in Luke 18, Jesus urges us to keep knocking on the door of heaven until we receive an answer.

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

~Luke 18:1 ESV

The Lesson

If we aren’t seeing God answer our prayers in the way we expected, we can know that He does hear and will answer. Rather than losing heart, we should keep on knocking on heaven’s door. We can trust Him enough to permit Him to answer in the way and time He thinks is best. His good answer will astound us.

What is the impossible prayer you are trusting God to make possible in His time?

Lord God, thank You for hearing me, listening to me, and answering me when I call. Please help me not to lose heart and give up when I feel like You’re not answering my prayers in the time and way I expect. Today, I choose to trust in You and let You answer my prayers in the way You see fit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: An Answered Prayer: Brandie J. Muncaster: All Rights Reserved

Award-winning Devotion: 2nd Place, Advance the Kingdom Contest, Asheville Christian Writer’s Conference 2021