What if She Had Not Prayed!

Jayne had just completed preparing for her weekly Bible study when she felt a strong urge to pray. She closed her book and as she prayed, the Holy Spirit directed her to pray for her sister and family. She was moved to tears, and for thirty minutes she prayed for them and for God to meet them at their point of need. She didn't pray for anything specific and later didn't attach a great deal of significance to the prayer time.

That night Jayne learned of a horrible earthquake close to where her sister lived. Her brother-in-law commuted to an area on the other side of the quake. Not knowing for sure what highways he would have been traveling, Jayne was very concerned for his safety.

About midnight they finally learned that he was safe, but it was another week before she learned the details.

About the time she was impressed to pray for them, her sister became ill. Her husband had to leave work early to go home and be with her. Because of that, he was safely at home with the rest of the family when the quake hit instead of being on the highway.

Jayne thanked God for His prompting and realized how important it was that she responded to His urging to pray even though she was unaware of what was needed.

Thank You for guiding our prayers to fulfill Your purposes.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).