Do you have a desire of your heart? I have prayed for many years concerning a specific desire of my heart. Since I am yet to receive a “No.” from God, I continue in prayer and act in faith. Should the day come that God says “no.” I will then shift my prayers in requesting a heart to accept His answer. We can approach the throne of God, not only to ask Him to fulfill our needs, but we can also ask His will concerning the desires of our heart.
When Zechariah was chosen to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense perhaps he took advantage of the opportunity to specifically pray for a child or maybe in his old age he had given up on a child and instead prayed concerning his and Elizabeth’s void, hurt or disappointment.
We know he prayed because when the angel of the Lord appeared to him he said: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” (Luke 1:11-13a NIV) Emphasis added
I suspect Zechariah’s answer exceeded his request:
“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1: 13b – 17 (NIV)
Friend, do not grow weary in continuing to pray for the desires of your heart. Remain faithful and recognize the other works God is doing in your life to help you from growing weary in waiting. Until God gives you a definitive “No.” or “Not now.” press on in your prayers.
Copyright©2017, Gloria Stucky
Originally written for Immanuel Baptist Church 2016