BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.” - Exodus 15:25
The Grace-Granted Patience to Smile and Wait
By Meg Bucher
I rushed to complete the school picture day check list.
Hair cuts …check.
Coordinating outfits …check.
Appropriate shoes …check.
Pre-picture day pictures before school …check.
Even though I seem to have all of the proverbial ducks in a row before they hop out of my car and walk into school, I can never be completely sure what the end product will be until I pull those developed pictures from the envelope months later.
My youngest daughter gives me every ornery reason to worry about what kind of photo everyone that enters my house will admire over the next year. I say a little prayer before I open that envelope.
Today’s verse talks of Moses receiving a direct answer to prayer. Sometimes, we get so used to our prayers not looking like the answers we expected, that we forget God is capable of an immediate yes. We’ve often primed ourselves for the possibility that we’ll never know how or if our prayers were answered at all.
Unlike the ‘wait and see’ expectations of the picture day envelopes, we can lift our prayers up to God and undoubtably know that He hears us …right away.
God intervened in response to Moses’ cry, and Moses obeyed God.- NIV Study Bible Notes
He may not answer immediately in the direct way that we want Him to, but let’s not count out that fact that He might …and then miss it! Jesus died to give us the freedom to speak to God everyday, all day, and anytime. The more we get to know Him, through the movement of the Spirit in and out of His Word, the more we realize that God is not unpredictable. He is dependable. He is Trustworty. He isLove.When we surrender our agenda in exchange for His will, we start to pray for His timing over our prayers.
Father, Praise You for hearing us, in a way that only You omnipotently could. Thank You for answering our prayers and allowing us to lift our prayers up to You through Jesus’ Your Son. Please forgive us for praying in hopes of our agendas being fulfilled over Your will for our lives, and bless our hearts to be moved by the Spirit as we study Your Word to know the difference. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Related Resource: Study the Book of Daniel with Us This Fall!
What does it look like to live with courage, clarity, and conviction when everything around you feels uncertain? The book of Daniel tells the story of faith under fire—of ordinary people who stayed rooted in God while living in a culture that didn’t share their values. From exile in Babylon to lion’s dens and prophetic dreams, Daniel shows us that small acts of faith can anchor us in uncertain times.
This 12-week journey will help you discover how to live right side up in an upside-down world—with integrity, trust, and unshakable hope. If this episode enables you to know and love God more, be sure to follow How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
