FIRST QUARTER 2024
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #4
JANUARY 27, 2024
“THE LORD HEARS AND DELIVERS”

 

Our lesson title today, “The Lord Hears and Delivers,” is very encouraging!  And the memory verse affirms the title!

 

        “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalms 34:17, NKJV).

 

        When I read verses like this and think of titles as our lesson’s for this week, I am reminded of stories of God’s faithfulness in hearing and delivering, such as the incredible stories of George Mueller. Mueller and his wife ran orphanages for children for most of their lives and repeatedly found themselves in need of food, shelter, supplies, money, etc. The Muellers had a rule – THEY NEVER ASKED ANYONE FOR ANYTHING – they only prayed to the Lord, and made their needs known to Him.  Here is one story of dozens that could be told, of “The Lord Hearing and Delivering” for the orphans as the Muellers prayed:

 

        “‘The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat,’ the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. ‘Mr. Mueller,’ he said, ‘last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.'  Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children." (www.georgemuller.org).

       

        Stories like these bring a surge of faith and encouragement to our hearts. They affirm for us the truth of our memory verse for this week. But unfortunately it seems like many if not most of our prayers are not answered as were the Muellers. What about the family who sit down at an empty table and pray for food – and there is no knock at the door providing their meal?

        How many people have you encountered who left the straight and narrow way because of unanswered prayer? Informally, of people I’ve met or known, who share why they lost faith in God, unanswered prayer is at the top of the list!

 

        Honest, sincere prayers for their marriage, their children, a health concern of theirs or a family member, financial challenges, or even just assurance of God’s presence or care in a dark time of life. All of these have been shared as unanswered prayers that led to unbelief in God’s goodness and/or existence.

 

        And while an intellectual discourse on all the reasons for unanswered prayer may have its place – sin in the life, God allowing a Job like scenario, character development, rules of engagement in the great controversy, divine discipline, faith building for future trials, etc. – in the moment these reasons and realities do little to resolve the doubt and growing unbelief.

 

        In my limited experience, there are only two truths that reach a person who is truly discouraged from unanswered prayer. First and foremost, is understanding that Jesus understands by experience the struggle caused by unanswered prayer. When Jesus was facing betrayal and denial and abandonment by His closest companions and the weight of the guilt of the world, He prayed to His Father for relief and assurance. And yet in a short time He experienced abandonment and isolation from all that had sustained Him in life.

 

        Remembering that Jesus understands by experience that deliverance is NOT always the lot of God’s followers has the power to strengthen us when we deal with unanswered prayer.

 

        Secondly, reminders that God will ultimately make all things right matter when prayers seem unanswered.  Knowing that God will “make things right,” both in restoring what was lost, and in explaining the reasons for what felt like an unanswered prayer, can be enough to buoy up the spirits to continue to trust.

 

        Finally, what allowed Jesus, and us as well, to have faith in the periods of discouragement that accompany unanswered prayer? Notice what carried Jesus through the Gethsemane and cross experiences.

 

        “Even doubts assailed the dying Son of God. He could not see through the portals of the tomb. Bright hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the tomb a conqueror and His Father's acceptance of His sacrifice. The sin of the world, with all its terribleness, was felt to the utmost by the Son of God. The displeasure of the Father for sin, and its penalty, which is death, were all that He could realize through this amazing darkness. He was tempted to fear that sin was so offensive in the sight of His Father that He could not be reconciled to His Son. The fierce temptation that His own Father had forever left Him caused that piercing cry from the cross: ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ . . . .

 

        “Faith and hope trembled in the expiring agonies of Christ because God had removed the assurance He had heretofore given His beloved Son of His approbation and acceptance. The Redeemer of the world then relied upon the evidences which had hitherto strengthened Him, that His Father accepted His labors and was pleased with His work . . . . Denied even bright hope and confidence in the triumph which will be His in the future, He cries with a loud voice: ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.' He is acquainted with the character of His Father, with His justice, His mercy, and His great love, and in submission He drops into His hands. . .” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies Volume 2, pp. 209-211, emphasis supplied.

 

        Just like Jesus, we need to be developing “evidences” of God’s faithfulness in our daily experience to sustain us when those “evidences” seem absent. We also, as Jesus was, need to be “acquainted with the character of (our) Father.”

 

        We have a tremendous advantage that Jesus did not have! We can look at Jesus to be acquainted with the Father’s character. He could look back at no one, but only up to His Father. As we behold Jesus, we are becoming acquainted with the character of the Father.  And the 1888 message was given to accelerate with latter rain power our acquaintance with Jesus, and via Jesus, His Father.

 

        May we treasure up those “evidences” day by day.

~Bob Hunsaker