Why Didn’t HE Return Our Call?

 

Read James 1: 5-8

 

“for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”  James 1: 7 (NRSV)

 

I hate answering machines!  Often one urgently needs to talk to someone to relate his problem, in reply to your call the machine offers no sympathy and just tells you to leave your number and you will be called back at a later time.  I often question whether my message was really recorded and wait impatiently for the return call.  Often after some delay I will try again and the machine will give me the same instructions.  Does it sometimes seem to be that way when we pray?  When we are confronted by

one of life’s disasters and we are anxious to get an answer and wonder if the  line is in service or even if our message has been received? 

 

Perhaps unanswered prayer is one of the greatest problems for a seeker of assistance from God.  We become perplexed as to what to do and

no advice is forthcoming!  We recall the verse we learned as children in Sunday School, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7) and now

we are asking and no one seems to be hearing our plea.  What might be happening?

 

 

 

          James suggests the lack of an answer may be due to our being double-minded.   Our minds are divided – we are not fully persuaded of either of our wants or God’s sufficiency to provide for them.  So we are like

waves tossed to and fro and our messages are jumbled. Not only are we unsure that we have the right number but we are unclear as to exact nature

of our problem.   So what can the reply be to our plea except to call back later.