Psalm 5:3 (NIV) says, “In the morning Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” 

I have prayed my prayers.  I have made my requests.  Now I wait.

I try really hard to wait expectantly, with a confident hope that God will answer my prayers.  Through the twists and turns of the day I hope good things are around the corner, that surprises will be sprinkled in the day, that miracles will manifest, and that God’s glory will shine brighter than the noon day sun in my life.

God’s goodness certainly shines daily, but it does not mean my prayers were answered in the way that I hoped.  Many times, I see no answer at all to my prayers throughout an individual day.

Another night, another morning.  Days strung together.  More prayers, more prayers, more prayers.

Some answers.  Some silence.  A whole lot of waiting; attempting to be obedient one step at a time, faithful in the little things that the days are filled with.  All the while trying to hold on to the hope that the big prayers I keep praying will be answered.

Me of little faith, how I waver in my waiting.  I want to wait expectantly & peacefully, but I find myself tumbling through feelings of doubt, fear, and rejection.

Maybe I prayed wrong.  Perhaps I was too selfish in my asking.  Maybe I am not worthy enough for an answer.  Perhaps I need to work harder and be better first.  Like spinning pictures of tabloid covers these messages whirl through my mind.

I wonder in dark moments, if my prayer requests have been lost in a pile on the Lord’s divine desk.  Perhaps my request was deemed low priority.  That would make sense, I tell myself.  There are so many more people with greater suffering than I, and many people more deserving than I.

Have you ever wondered if your prayer request has been misplaced?  If it was over looked or rejected or purposefully set aside?

I have.  Sometimes I get stuck in thinking that God is annoyed with me, or frustrated by me and my requests.  Perhaps He doesn’t even want to hear from me, as if I am unwelcome in His presence.

What a heartbreaking and distorted picture of our loving and gracious God!

It may feel, in dark moments, like our prayer requests have been lost in a pile on His divine desk but the Lord is active and living, engaging and relational.  Most of all He is love, eternal love, ever lasting love.  A love outside the constraints of the limitations of the physical world and the confines of time & energy.  A love that is fierce and fiercely for you.

The Lord of Love has our requests right in His pocket, close to His heart, with a plan in mind specifically designed just for us.  A design He delights in.

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay,
you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.”
Isaiah 64:8 (NIV).

Envision the potter, the carpenter, craftsmen of many kinds, they work with their hands.  They are active, engaging, and insightful in their work.  Their goals are visions within their minds.  They have the ability to take what is, shaping and molding it into what could be.

Their works in progress are held close in heart and front of mind.  Patiently they work away in the details of foundation and structure; work that must be completed well for lasting quality of the final product.  Day after day they labor, many times with little outward visible progress to the eye of the momentary bystander.

But, the craftsman does not work for the momentary bystander’s approval or understanding.  The effort he exerts is for the revelation of the completed work of art, a final product which he can admire, appreciate, and delight in.

The Lord is our craftsman.  He is active, engaging, and insightful into the tiniest detail of our prayer requests.  He patiently works out the minute details of foundation and structure so that the work of his hands are completed with eternal quality.  Day after day of laboring, we may not see visible progress in our lives.

It is not for our approval or understanding that God works, for His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

The Lord grants us revelation knowledge and wisdom so that we can glimpse His goodness and glory, so we may admire and appreciate who He is and what He is doing.

As a loving and relational Lord, He calls us to join Him, to see what He has created, and to share with Him in His delight.

My treasured reader, while I may not know the specific prayers you fervently are praying, waiting day after day for answer and revelation, I do know what it is like to ask and to wait.  Keep asking.  Persevere in your prayers, even if there is no visible progress.  I know the Lord is holding your requests close to His heart.

Trust His hands.  Trust the glorious and delightful design that He has in store for You.  Sit with Him while He works and watch what He does.  He loves you very much.  His love is generously and abundantly poured into the work of each day.

He’s got your prayers right in His pocket, close to His heart.

Beloved Lord,

Thank You so much for hearing our prayers.  Thank You for the all the energy, effort, and expense You faithfully pour into Your delightful design to answer our prayers. 

Lord, we do not have the foresight and knowledge to see the final design that You delight in.  This makes waiting so hard.  Help us to trust in You, trust in Your love, and trust in the vision that You have for us.  Help us to wait with You watching You work with hope filled expectations that what You begin, You see through to completion.  

In the delightful name of Jesus, amen.