21 Days of Prayer/Journaling - Days 4 & 5 - "Choice"

I am completing two days in one because I was very sick yesterday. I started feeling "yucky" early in the day and by 2:00 I was dizzy, nauseated, and very tired. I went home from work at 2:30 and went straight to bed. I don't think my head hit the pillow before I was asleep and I slept hard until after 6:00pm. I only woke up because my dog was standing at the foot of the bed, whining (he needed to go outside). I ate a peanut butter sandwich and laid in bed, watching TV, until 9:30 when I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I slept for another 9 1/2 hours when my alarm went off at 7:00am this morning. I reluctantly got out of bed and took a shower to get ready for the day. I still feel very tired and lightheaded today. My nausea comes in waves, but isn't as strong as it was yesterday. It looks like my weekend will consist of a lot of resting!

Yesterday we were challenged to pray for something big. To be quite honest, the only thing I could muster up to pray for yesterday, was to feel better. I really hate being sick! I had big plans to help my husband work on his Jeep last night. Instead, I was confined to my bed. I also really wanted to complete this journal. However, I couldn't finish a cognitive thought if I wanted to. I am having a hard time with it today, even! This journal entry may take me all night to finish! I kind of feel like Day 4 was a bust for me. I still spoke with God, but it was very small thoughts in between sleeping. It certainly wasn't the deep, meaningful conversations of the days before. I think that is something that I truly love about God, though. His love for me is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I didn't have the physical strength to sit down and talk to God yesterday. However, I know that His love for me has not changed and He is thrilled to talk with me today!

I am REALLY excited about Day 5! The question for today is:

"Have you ever known someone whose prayers seemed to make things happen?"

The reason this question is so exciting for me is because of the context in which it was asked. During church last week, Pastor Hoover told a story about when he was in Bible school. The theory that was taught was that everything is Predestined and that we have no free will. His teacher asked him a question... "Do you know of any time in the Bible that God has promised something that didn't come to pass?" Pastor Hoover's response was, "Well, yes!" He then shared the story in 2 Kings 20:1-6 where King Hezekiah became deathly ill. God sent a servant to tell Hezekiah that he was dying and to make sure his affairs were in order. Hezekiah was devastated and pleaded with the Lord to save his life. God not only allowed Hezekiah to live, but he also added 15 years to his life!

When I heard that story I thought of another, similar story. In Exodus 32, the people of Isreal lost faith in God and started making idols to worship. God was so angry that he was ready to destroy the ENTIRE Isreal nation!


Exodus 32: 9-10 Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them.

However, Moses pleaded for God to spare Isreal (Exodus 32:11-13) and this is what happened...

Exodus 32:14 So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.

I  was raised with the thought that everything is predestined and that we have no free will. I never believed that, but didn't really know how to argue my case. Now, I have that argument! If everything is predestined, why would it make a difference if Hezekiah pleaded for his life or if Moses pleaded for the lives of an entire nation? Luckily, we have a God that shows mercy to those that love Him! He may not deliver us from every disaster. But if a person loves God and CHOOSES to put their faith in Jesus, they will find mercy in Heaven.