Last month, I was blessed with a new car. She’s a 2024 Fountain Blue Chevrolet Trailblazer LT, and she’s stunning! I’ve named her Jewel, and she’s the first brand-new vehicle I’ve ever owned. What makes her even more special is that she’s exactly what I had prayed for-the right car, in the right color, at the right price. Jewel is undeniably a gift from God, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I told my mom I loved my car. She cautioned me about storing up treasures on earth, but I know she’s a blessing from God. That’s because the car I prayed for also answered another prayer.
For a while, I’ve been aware of my reckless driving habits. Perhaps my bad habits were a remnant of my past renegade lifestyle. But I’ve changed, and I didn’t want my driving to reflect that old self. So, I started praying for God to help me become a better driver. And then, a few days ago, I realized that my prayer had been answered in the most unexpected way-through Jewel.
Jewel has plenty of safety features, including a camera to assist with reversing and notifications for blind spots and lane drifting. The best feature is the ability to instantly know my MPG. This, combined with my love for the car, has made me more conscious of my driving habits. I probably drive like someone’s grandma, and I’m okay with that.
The old me would have been too afraid to ask God to make me a better driver. I would have been convinced His answer to that prayer would have come in the form of a fender-bender or a speeding ticket. It’s like when people say, “Don’t pray for patience because God will give you something you have to be patient about.” In other words, you pray for a godly attribute, and He gives you something awful to bring about the answer to your prayer.
But instead of a calamity answer to my driving prayer, my Papa God, in His loving way, gave me Jewel. This has helped me understand something Jesus said in Matthew 7, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
For too long, religion has made us afraid to pray because it does not truly understand the heart of our Father. Religion often conveys the message of “do good and receive goodness, do bad and face punishment,” which reflects an Old Covenant mindset. However, Christ came to abolish that mindset and lead us into a profound relationship with the Father. He revealed a compassionate and gracious Father, slow to anger and overflowing with love. This Father does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our wrongdoings. As the Psalm says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
So, go ahead and pray for patience! Pray to be a better parent or spouse. Pray for whatever you want because your loving Father desires to give good gifts to His children. He’s not handing out snakes and stones! And, if you do get a snakey circumstance, rest assured that this fallen world and the enemy hands out snakes and stones like tic tacs. Those are not from Papa God. He will bless you with fish, bread, and maybe even a new car!
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