Someone said yes wait and no
Are God’s responses to our prayers
But tell me How can I know
To which one I should adhere?
Another person advanced
God’s responses are yes and no,
There is no wait in His replies
That is unbiblical say so.
“God answers every prayer.”
This is a position held by most
With some having a special line
Of which they daily boast.
Regarding unanswered prayer
There is never a case,
Nowhere in the biblical text
Can such ever be traced.
Yet we pray incessantly
About matters of great importance
And each time without an answer
But there is no admittance.
How do we know for sure
That God always answers prayer?
Can we attest to this?
Does it in His word appear?
Is answered prayer in proportion
To requests that are granted
Or whatever form the answer comes
Even if we are disappointed?
And if we do not hear from God
As is known to have occurred,
Would this not be unanswered prayer
Even if the answer is deferred?
What then is answered prayer?
Is it only when we get our request?
Is prayer only answered when we get relief
From some undesirable test?
It is definitely not as clear cut
As we had thought at first
Though the position we held on this
We once would never reverse.
God answers every prayer
That is my belief,
He points all to His Holy Word
In which we find relief.
We may not favour God’s answer
But His answer is always best
And once we follow the Spirit’s lead
We will conquer every test.
When prayer seems unanswered
As sometimes it will seem
We have an advocate with the Father:
We, meaning the redeemed.
Stewart Russell © December 19, 2021
