God's Grace

When I was about ten years old, my grandmother taught me an important lesson summed up in eight words.

"God's grace delayed is not God's grace denied."

It was her way of teaching me about hope and the power of prayer. If you doubt the power of prayer just try this simple little plan. First write down your really big prayers.

Its alright whatever they are put it down on paper, God can read trust me. Now put your really big prayers in a drawer or a box or some other special place.

Next take a post it note and put it in your car somewhere you can get at it easily. Now anytime you ask God for a little help, even for the most mundane things like "Please God let there be milk and Oreo cookies at the grocery store", or when you are late for work and saying "Please God make that red light change" put down a circle an "O" on your post it note.

Then, from now on every time that light pops to green or the milk cooler is stocked full put an X on the paper. Before long you will see a post it note full of X's and you will be surprised at how often your prayers are really answered.

In fact you will soon discover that just by acknowledging all the little prayers that are being answered every day, you will find a lot more happiness in your life.

Back to that big list. Take it out of the drawer from time to time and see if you can put an X next to any of your big prayers. If not, it is OK give it another couple of months. But eventually one of those big prayers will be answered, as well.

On my big prayer list over the years I've added some things and deleted some things. But over time I have been able to put an X next many things and I have to admit sometimes I'm really surprised when I discover that God has indeed answered my prayers.

Then there is the pony, who is still on the list, God's grace delayed. Though if God suddenly decided to answer the prayer I had when I was 10 and grace me with a pony, I'd have to add another prayer to the big list.