It's Not Multiple Choice

“It's not a multiple choice question!” My sister was describing how she had prayed for her children when they were younger. She would go before the Throne of Grace and then present God with a multiple choice of ways He could answer her petition. She felt since she was down here and she was the Mother it might be helpful to God if she gave Him a bit of help.

What she discovered as they grew older was that she was no longer able to help God out as much as she had when her children were younger. The problems grew as her children grew. Life became more and more complex and she felt she just could no longer supply God with a multiple choice answer to her prayers as she had been able to do when they were younger. That was when she began to give God a blank sheet of paper. She would simply call out the name of her children and let God do the rest.

Yesterday I read a story Edith Schaeffer told about a man from the Lisu tribe in the hills back of China. This man had been longing for a God he did not know. He found a page torn from a Lisu catechism. He read;”Are there more gods than One?”- “No, there is only One God.” “Should we worship idols?”- “No...” the rest was torn away. But he had all he needed, he went home and destroyed his alters.

Not long afterward his daughter became very ill. Everyone accused him of bringing this suffering on his child because he had made the demons angry by destroying their alters. The man believed that he could reach the one true God with his voice. The man knew nothing about prayer. Making a multiple choice for God did not occur to him. He climbed to the highest peak in the vicinity and began to shout out,”Oh, God, if You really are there and You are the One I am to worship, please make my little girl well again.” He came home to find his daughter completely healed.

Oh Lord, there was a time I thought you needed my help but now I am so grateful that I can come before you and simply call to You for help. Your word tells me I am to walk humbly before You. I humbly bow before Your throne knowing that what is hidden from me is not hidden from You. I call out the names of those I love. Thank You for hearing me and loving me and thank You that You don't need me to tell You what to do.