"There's a Promise Coming Down That Dusty Road"

Many times as I go to the Lord in prayer, I love to pray scripture. One of my favorite scripture prayers is when I remind the Lord that "the one you love is sick". Sometimes I mean they are physically sick, it could be emotionally sick or most likely it is spiritually sick. I have stood in the gap for stressful situations when someone was sick with worry, sick with grief or sick of living. When I speak these words they flow from deep within my soul and the depth of my need, puts a desperate urgency in my voice as I plead "Dear Lord, the one you love is sick"! Please come! Sometimes I pray this prayer about myself, though I am sick I remember His love for me.

I don't remember when I started praying this way but I know where the words came from. John 11 tells a familiar story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. These siblings were dear friends of the Savior the bible says He loved them. Lazarus became very ill so the sisters did the only thing they knew to do, they sent their request to Jesus.

The messenger was to go to Jesus and say "Lord, the one you love is sick"! Notice, it was not the one who loves YOU is sick, the one who serves YOU is sick or the one who preaches about YOU is sick, but it was "the one YOU love is sick! That just amazes me! We sometimes think in order for God to hear us when we pray we must love him but the truth is he loved us before we even knew him. He answers prayer because he loves us.

Jesus did not go right away but waited until Lazarus had died. How disappointed the sisters were that the savior was too late. Sometimes we feel that God has not heard our prayers or doesn't care about our need but as with Lazarus, he always hears our prayers and has a plan to answer in his timing and in his way.

I love a southern Gospel song that has a catchy chorus "There's a promise coming down that dusty road!". Have you ever sent word to Jesus that the one he loves needs his help, only to stare down that dusty road waiting for Him to save the day by arriving on time? Have your eyes grow tired as you strained to see any sign of Him? Me too!

As the story goes Jesus went to Bethany, He wept as he saw their pain and then he did as he had planned! He called a dead man to come forth! Sometimes a miracle much bigger than we know how to pray for is coming down that dusty road. "Lord, the one You love is sick". I find comfort in knowing that we are loved! I find my hope as I strain to see the Lord coming down that dusty road!