To witness God answer prayers is something I will never get used to and always stand amazed by. Prayer is mentioned 164 times in the Bible from beginning to end, so we know it has deep importance. This past Sunday, my youth students were asked to pray for a 15-year-old girl who had been injured badly in a car accident. The only specifics we had were that she had a severe brain injury, and it did not look like she would make it.
One of our adult volunteers went to the front of our class and explained to the students that their prayers were needed, and he proceeded to tell them about the girl their age that was in bad shape and that not only did they need to pray for her but for her family.
We had four students volunteer to pray and as they prayed, I found myself wondering if they had truly listened to what they had been told. They never once asked for peace for her family or that God's will be done. They just prayed that they knew God would heal her and that she would be ok. They asked that God make her be all the way better and knew that He could do it.
In my heart I was terrified and worried for their hearts. This young girl was most likely not going to make it according to the doctors. I could not bear their little hearts to be broken when she died. I closed the prayers off asking for peace for her parents and for God's Will to be done, even if that meant ultimate healing with Him. I wanted to soften the blow if she were indeed not going to make it.
I am the youth teacher and my students' faith was bigger than mine on that day. While my heart was in the right place, wanting to protect them, I lost sight of how big my God is. On Wednesday morning, I was told that the young girl was not only going to live, but she would have no lasting effects from her severe injuries. I immediately felt the tears brim my eyes and was humbled.
The students believed that God would heal her and do a mighty work and boy did HE! Their faith was in their prayers and God answered in the best way He does, with a miracle! I was so excited to tell the students that God heard them and answered them. As a teacher, you always want to be the one leading the way and never want to mess up. I had to get put back in my place and be reminded that God is over all, even a bad prognosis. I was honest with my class and let them know how proud I was of them for not wavering in their faith and how blessed they were to witness God's answer. They got to see their teacher be human and make the mistake of being scared, even if for the right reasons, we are always called to "not be afraid" and trust in God, and believe He is a God of miracles.
Today, I want to leave you with some hope. God is still performing miracles daily to those who truly believe when they pray. God hears the righteous and He desires for us to call upon Him. Today I am bolstered knowing that the work God has laid on my heart is not in vain and is producing fruit, even when I am weak. I am grateful for these students that can be strong and believe, even when I sin and am afraid, even if it is for them. My students will never forget what it feels like to have a prayer answered in a big way and I will not forget to remember how big my God is.
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7
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