Thank You, Lord, for Unanswered Prayers
I’ve been reluctant to offer an update on the mockingbird eggs I found in my front yard more than three weeks ago.
Alas, here’s the picture I took yesterday.
Nothing’s changed — except even more of the branches around the nest are gone now. My blessed neighbor came down with a tough case of shut-in-idous on Tuesday, so she got out and did some more pruning on the bush. I’d been holding off on further trimming, myself, until the Saga of the Eggs had run its course, but she had my complete blessing on this project. In fact, I’d been semi-planning to get to it myself on Wednesday or Thursday. I guess I was just giving God a little more time to answer my prayers for Mama Mockingbird to return to the nest.
I’m still not planning to move the nest myself. But I’m also now resigned to “the fact” that it looks like mama and papa have both moved on with their lives, so these eggs very likely will not hatch. My original hatchet job unintentionally left that blessed little nest too exposed for mama’s comfort, and she’s just not coming back.
As I say, I’ve been reluctant to post this report.
Because, I suppose, my update can be taken as an unanswered prayer.
And who needs discouraging news like that in these trying times when there’s plenty of other hopeful prayer going on. My idea had been that this little nest would spring forth some baby mockingbirds against all odds, and become just the sort of grand inspiration we all need in this crazy time. And I’d prayed this would all happen on Easter Sunday.
Lord, may this disappointing update on Your Blessed Eggs be no stumbling block for believers currently lifting their own prayers to you each day. May all of us come to understand that “unanswered prayers” are always heard indeed. And answered. Even when we don’t like, understand, or even hear the answer.
“Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.'” — Mark 11:22-24 (NLT)
As I say, I’m not planning to move, or even touch, God’s little nest. Because I know God can still arrange for them to hatch. And, what a miraculous little event that will be!
But I also refuse to become upset, or even sad, that He is not hatching them according to my timing and my will. I know, and love, that he can never hatch them at all — if that’s His Will. Lord, may Your Will always be done!
Though it’s not as I’d expected, God has indeed answered my prayer regarding these tiny eggs: several friends have told me these last few days they are eagerly following this story and joining in my prayers. The eggs have also become a blessed topic of Godly conversation for my neighbors and the many walkers who stroll past that bush these days.
And the story of the eggs has led me to type these words of Holy Testimony for The World today: I’ve found our God to be always Good, dear friends. Even when He’s not doing as I would have Him do. And even when I don’t understand, or see, His Goodness first hand. His Godly purposes are forever Grand and Glorious, and in that I rejoice unceasingly. Praise you Lord! Your will IS INDEED forever done — on earth as it is in Heaven. Thank You God for answered prayers!
Note: another blessing that’s come from this story. I have made the acquaintance of some encouraging new friends on Project Noah.com. I hope you, dear reader, will contribute some “spottings” of your own these days. With all this extra walking and gardening many of us are doing in our “shut-in” time, we’re all seeing a lot more of God’s aweseome creatures worth noting for the world. Get your cameras out, everybody!