Answering Your Own Prayers

August 28, 2019

“Lord, bless this breakfast and this day. Lead us to people we can bless in the Name of Jesus.” Those may not be the exact words, but they’re pretty close. Linda and I pray these sentiments every time we share a meal together. I pray this way because I am so often pretty dense when it comes to discerning the opportunities God gives me to speak blessing into peoples’ lives. Some years ago we learned the “Three Open Prayer:” “Open doors; Open my heart; Open my mouth.” If any one of those doors remains shut, nothing happens. 

We parked by the side of the fence surrounding the Italianate Victorian mansion that was to be our Bed & Breakfast tonight. The photos online were exquisite, and we were looking forward to a bit of luxury after two nights at Best Western. We were greeted at the door by a little special needs girl who struggled to get the door open. Her grandmother came to her rescue, struggling herself with the lock, but finally making the huge door yield to her will. The house is beautiful, but they’re in the beginning stages of bringing it up to speed. It needs some TLC, and as it turned out, so did the proprietor. 

She is pastor of a small, struggling Pentecostal congregation in the next town over. A church member she had invested in had turned on her amidst an affair he was having. She confessed to having protected him to the detriment of the flock as he did everything in his power to discredit her and talk people into leaving the church. It was as Yogi Berra once said, “Deja Vu all over again,” except for the part where they watched last year as their home burnt to the ground, taking all their possessions with it. She took great pride in this new home God had provided for her and her family, but was clearly hurting from the betrayal and abandonment she had experienced. She bared her soul which was still bleeding profusely, and we listened.

I shared with her our experience of fifteen years ago, offered what encouragement I could, and prayed for her. Unexpectedly, our breakfast prayer had been answered, for which I am thankful this night as I finally shut my eyes.