Friday, January 9, 2009

PRAYER FOR A PRIZE

A person used to pray every day that he may win the first prize in a lottery. He was very sad as his prayer was not answered for a long time. Once he complained to God for not answering his only prayer. God told him in a dream, "Son, I am ready to grant your wish; but please purchase a lottery ticket first."

That shows the prerequisite for an answer to our prayers: God wants our participation to perform a miracle in our life.

At the wedding feast of Cana, Jesus asked the servants to fill the six stone water jars with water so that He could perform His first miracle {John 2:6, 7}. When He wanted to feed the thousands, He asked, "How much bread have you got? Go and see" {Mark 6:38}.He then accepted the boy's gift of five loaves and two fish and multiplied them miraculously.

When Zacchaeus was hiding on a Sycomore tree to see Jesus, He stopped, asked him to climb down and let Him stay in his house for a day. It was after Zacchaeus made his proclamation of penance and declaration about the sacrifice of his assets that Jesus said, "Salvation has come to this house today {Luke 19: 1-9}.

When Jesus willed to raise Lazarus from the tomb, He asked the people who buried him and covered the tomb to remove the stone from the entrance to the grave. "Take the stone away!" Jesus ordered {John 11:39}.

Jesus is ready to work miracles even today. Let us listen to His call and respond positively. Jesus asks, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and yet don't do what I tell you?' {Luke 6:46}.

By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.
This is Story No. 23 in this site. Please click ‘Older Post’ at the bottom of this page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Post' at the bottom of this page to read newer stories in this site. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.

No comments: