| Making the Most of Life |
Chapter 4 |
Page 8 |
Does God answer prayers? “I have been praying for one thing for years,” says one, “and it has not come yet.” God has many ways of answering. Sometimes he delays that he may give a better, fuller answer. A poor woman stood at a vineyard gate, and looked over into the vineyard. “Would you like some grapes?” asked the proprietor, who was within. “I should be very thankful,” replied the woman. “Then bring your basket.” Quickly the basket was brought to the gate and passed in. The owner took it and was gone a long time among the vines, till the woman became discouraged, thinking he was not coming again. At last he returned with the basket heaped full. “I have made you wait a good while,” he said, “but you know the longer you have to wait, the better the grapes, and the more.”
So it sometimes is in prayer. We bring our empty vessel to God and pass it over the gate of prayer to him. He seems to be delaying a long time, and sometimes faith faints with waiting. But at last he comes, and our basket is heaped full with luscious blessings. He waited long that he might bring us a better and fuller answer. At least we are sure that no true prayer ever really goes unanswered. We have to wait for the fruits to ripen, and that takes time.
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