Day 7 - Week 18 - 1 John 5:15 "And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for."

On the last night of our contemplation of this verse of assurance, I want to share with you Robert J. Morgan's thoughts on what I hope we've gotten into our hearts this week....that when we frame our requests in God's will, He provides the best for us, even through those times when we've been told "no" to our original request.

Here are the examples that Robert J. Morgan gives for us to reflect upon:

• Abraham earnestly prayed that Ishmael would become the son of promise and the heir of his legacy (Genesis 17:19) but God said no.  He had something better, a line of descent through the boy Isaac.
• Moses earnestly prayed to cross the river Jordan with the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 3:23-25), but God said no.  He had a younger leader named Joshua and a better promised land for the aged Moses.
• David prayed earnestly for the joy of building a temple to the Lord (1 Kings 8:17-19), but God said no.  He had something better---for David to plan the project and for his son Solomon to do the work.
• Jonah prayed earnestly that he would die (Jonah 4:8), but God said no.  He had something better---for Jonah to learn the lessons of compassion and write it down in a book that would thrill the ages.
• The healed demonic in Mark 5 prayed that he could travel around as a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 5:18-20), but the Lord said no.  He had something better---that he go home to his friends and tell them what great things the Lord had done for him and had shown him mercy.
• The apostle Paul prayed earnestly to be healed from his disease, which he described as a thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).  But God said no.  He had something better---for Paul to discover the all-sufficiency of His grace.
• Jesus prayed earnestly that the cup of suffering would pass from Him (Matthew 26:38-44), but God said no.  He had something better---that a fountain would be opened for all the world for the forgiveness of sin.

We never lose when we place ourselves in submission to God's will for us...just as Paul describes God's will in Romans...it is always "good, pleasing and perfect."  Is there any other source where we can place our trust that is 100% certain to bring about the very best for us?  Only our Holy Father who loves us so dearly can provide that kind of assurance.

I'll end the week restating a thought from last week...
   ....we need to get past our hesitancy to add "thy will be done" and instead embrace that thought as the best thought for our future.  God has good plans for His children.

Amen.