Read Matthew Chapter 21:18-22
Jesus, How Did You Do That?
Vs 18: In the morning, when Jesus returned to the city [of Jerusalem], he became hungry.
Vs 19: Jesus saw a lone fig tree with leaves but no fruit and so Jesus cursed it so it would no longer produce fruit and at once the tree withered.
Vs 20: The disciples marveled at what they saw and asked Jesus, “How did the fig tree wither at once?”
Vs 21-22: In essence, Jesus responded, if you have faith and do not doubt, the miracles you can do would be unlimited. He said, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
These are powerful words, but let me make a confession. There are times when I pray to God, it’s done with selfish motives. It’s All about Me. At age 8, my favorite western shirt that my dad bought me had a missing button, the metal snapping kind. I laid my shirt on my Bible and asked God to do a miracle and put a metal snap button back on My shirt by morning. When morning came, I saw that the shirt was still missing a button.
Another time, I went to the hospital and prayed for my neighbor that she would walk again she didn’t.
Yes, I have prayed for miracles that didn’t happen but I have prayed for miracles that did happen. Why some and why some not?
Jesus said these powerful words to his followers – his 12 disciples. If I’m a follower of Christ, then I’m connected to Christ. I want to be so connected to Jesus that his thoughts become mine, his heart becomes mine, his desires become mine, and his will becomes mine. So when I pray, I want to pray the heart of God so that miracles happen!
There are times I pray I don’t know if it’s the heart of God. And the outcome isn’t as I had expected. I trusted God and it didn’t happen. It’s then I have to “TRUST” God beyond my unanswered prayer. I have to have a trust that says, okay God, either you’ll answer the prayer later or you have a purpose beyond my understanding for an outcome I can’t see nor understand: regardless what happens, I trust you.
Never stop being a person of prayer. Never stop believing in miracles. Never stop trusting God when prayers aren’t answered your way. Trust he has a purpose beyond your understanding that will bring glory to his name.
