WHO IS YOUR HABERDASHER?

    Often truly well intentioned folks will admonish knowingly “be careful what you pray for, you may get it.” The comment is generally followed with knowing nods and nervous laughter from those within earshot. Let’s step back and think this through or if you prefer, think from the end. The first question that must be addressed is; what do we believe? If we believe that God would answer any prayer with something harmful, what does that say about God? To believe that God punishes us for any reason when we go to Him in prayer is to reject His true nature, all knowing, all-powerful and all loving. Remember, we cannot get sweet and bitter water from the same well or poison and healthy fruit from the same tree. Additionally some have stated that all prayers are answered just sometimes the answer is no. This also denies the true nature of God, for God is always in the affirmative, positive to and for us, never in the negative.

     So why then are some prayers seemingly not answered? The reason for this is simple: “We often pray for things for which we are not really prepared; but if we pray scientifically this will not matter, since Creative intelligence will send us the thing that we really need” Emmet Fox. So clearly a loving, all powerful, all knowing God provides what we need, the perfect hat, but it is our outlining of what we believe we need or what the answer should look like, a different hat, that causes us difficulty. Consider the parable of the lost man: A man is lost in a frozen wilderness. He prays to God for rescue. As if on queue, a trapper appears and offers to lead the man out. He replies, “Thanks, but I have prayed and God will rescue me,” the trapper, shaking his head continues on his way. Some time passes and a man on a snowmobile drives up and offers the man a ride out. Again he replies “Thanks, but I have prayed and God will rescue me”, stunned, he drives away. As night begins to fall a helicopter appears and the pilot calls out “A hunter and snowmobile rider reported you were stranded out here” begging the man to get on board, for when night falls he will freeze to death. The man however remains steadfast in his belief, so the helicopter pilot reluctantly lifts off, his heart sick for he knows the man‘s fate is sealed. The sun sets and in short order the man finds himself standing before God. Incredulous he asks God “Where were you? I prayed and you never came.” God, in a quiet voice with a tear in his eye responded, “Of course I came. I sent a trapper, a snowmobile and a helicopter to rescue you.”

    How often have we already had the right hat (demonstration) in our possession, but were unable to recognize it for we had outlined a different solution. Never fear in prayer, pray deeply and if you are unsure of what hat to wear, let God be your haberdasher and though you may desire a fedora, balmoral or capuchon, don’t dismiss the baseball cap that keeps showing up.