Sometimes the answer is right in front of us, but we just can’t see it. We sing “Open our Eyes Lord” but are we really desperate enough for God to do that. We have this promise in the Psalm 9 “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. He does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.” The answer to your prayers could be right there in front of you but because your eyes are not open, you do not see it.
Exodus 21:9 “But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” 14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.” Without going into the background of this story, I want to ask the question; Are you desperate for God today? Is there something you are praying for that you are not seeing? Your answer could be right there in front of you. Also you may be the answer to someone desperation. I borrowed this story that my son had reposted on Facebook.
“So I was just on my way to work and I had to stop for gas so I allowed myself some extra time to get to work. When I pulled up to the pump I shut my car off and saw this middle aged man crying looking at the gas pump. I began to wonder what happened with this man and as I got out of my car and looked at him my heart felt like it stopped. In Apple Valley, Minnesota it is 10 degrees and freezing cold with the wind. This man was wearing flip-flops with socks covered in holes. I look in his car and see his wife in the front seat covering her face in her hands and the 2 teenage girls both of cuddling under a blanket in the back seat.
I didn't even think and I went up to the man and said sir is something the matter? He looked at me and I could tell he was on the verge of giving up because he didn't even try to conceal his tears when he said I can't even provide for my family. Without even thinking I put my card in his machine and tell him Jesus Christ the Son of God died to provide for you. Fill up. Something, something came alive in him. He was in shock and it was like he forgot how to pump gas. In that same moment his wife got out of her car, she asked her husband what was going on and he told her I just paid for their gas, she started to cry and came around the corner to shake my hand when I saw her pants dirty and torn. I asked her to come to my car.
The airport lost some of my luggage on my way to Minnesota from California and I had to clean out my closet to find stuff to wear and get rid of a lot of stuff all of that stuff that I had yet to give away was siting in the back seat of the car and in the trunk. I opened up my car and told the lady to take what she wanted. This lady RAN back to her car. I was so afraid I had just embarrassed her but a moment later her and her two girls were digging through those clothes layering my sweatshirts and shirts and sweat pants over the worn out clothes they had been wearing. Soon the father had finished pumping the gas and came over. This attracted a little crowd at the gas station. An older man gave the family a cub gift card and another middle aged man gave away his jacket to the father. Never in my life did I think I would see this kind of thing happen at a gas station with a handful of complete strangers.
But it gives me hope; that the love of God can be so contagious; that we are not alone in being the change we want to see in the world. That God's love is greater than anything and we get to be a part of that love changing lives. And HE always provides!”
This is a story that could take place anywhere at anytime. If you are in the desert today calling out to God, have faith because when God opens your eyes the answer is right in front of you. But you also need to listen because you just might be that person who happens to be right in front of someone praying. Lord open our eyes.
