A real estate contract and a lesson on prayer

One month from the day we listed our house, we got a contract! Whoo hoo! Thank you Lord!

The other night Jake and I went to hear this guy Tim Keller speak at Christ Presbyterian. He's an author and pastor of a huge church in New York. I've never read any of his books (because lets face it, I don't read books much) but Jake really loves them. So he came in town to speak on one chapter in his new book. A story from Mark. The story of Jairus' daughter and the woman who touched his hem. It was a great message.

He talked about how God's timing isn't always our timing (in fact, it almost never is!) and how sometimes we get upset when God doesn't do things in the order we'd like. For example: the disciples wanting Jesus to rush to the dying daughter instead of chit-chatting with this woman who had already been healed by a mere touch. But Jesus saw the bigger picture. So anyway, one line that Jake and I loved was "pray that God would answer the prayer that you would pray if you had all of the information that God has". Go back and read that again slower. :) Basically, this is the same prayer as "your will be done", but... deeper. :)

So I wanted to make this tiny commitment in my heart to pray that more. Which is difficult! I'd rather pray for the things I want! Because isn't one of the greatest downfalls of humanity that we don't trust God to do whats best for us? That maybe we won't like that plan or maybe it won't be comfortable. Or is that just me....? Anyhow, its a hard prayer to pray. And mean. Especially at a time when you can physically feel a ticking time bomb in your belly and theres no room in your house for it. So from my -now understood as limited- perspective: we've got a baby coming and if we don't move before the baby comes, we'll have to move after. Which means showing a house with 5 kids under the age of 8 (hard enough) and a newborn who wants to nurse every 2-3 hours. From where I sit, what needs to happen is a no-brainer!!! But does God see it that way? Is there some bend in the road I don't see? So instead of praying, "Lord, sell my house quickly and give us another perfect-for-us house to live in, all before June 1st, (because Lord I also need time to nest)".... I'm praying "Lord answer the prayer that I would pray if I had all of the information that You have." And trying not to elbow God and tag on "But Lord, don't you think my plan sure is a good one?" :)

Now, all that said, let me tell you what that all doesn't mean: It doesn't mean this is some new concept and I've never prayed for Gods will to be done. But in effort to move to a deeper place in my relationship with God, I'm just saying it differently. Kind of like if you said "I love you" to your husband every day but one day wanted to switch it up by saying "I adore you". And maybe that would deepen your intimacy and keep things fresh. Its kinda like that. Thats a random example but does it make sense?

I'm also not saying that you can't pray and make requests specific. I think we can and should! Psalm 5:3 says "In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." That sounds specific to me! But right now, having just heard a new message and a fresh word from God, I'm putting a new prayer in my heart.

Also, I know myself. If I pray my heart out for something specific on this grand of scale, and its not answered the way I want it to be and in my timing, I'll be a brat and get mad. I think the Lord gave me this as a way of helping me trust Him and put it into His hands instead of saying, "do this".

Sooooo.... to deepen my faith... and to grow my intimacy with the Lord... I pray. Answer the pray I would pray if I had all of the information that You have. And God sells my house a few days later. And this is the part of this post where I'd love to say "WHEW, glad God was on the same page as me with that one!" :) But I won't. Because we still haven't closed, we still haven't found another house, and I **still** can't see what God see's. (Don't you just hate that? :)) Soo...... I'm thanking Him for the great things He has done and continuing to pray, trust, and walk this tightrope blindfolded. Like a kid learning to trust that Mom and Dad know better. (Hm, that sounds familiar around here.)

And I'd like to ask you to pray for us.... you guessed it. :) Please pray that God would answer the prayer that YOU would pray if you had all of the information that He has. ;)