Last weekend I spent some time with some awesome youth in a retreat called Chrysalis. A friend of mine gave a talk on prayer. He used an illustration of driving some distance and listening to Chuck Swindoll on the radio and as he was moving away from the tower, he was getting static. He prayed for God to bless him with the rest of the message. The static went away and he heard the message till the end very clearly. As soon as Swindoll was done, the radio went to all static. What an awesome God.
Also over the weekend, I was talking with another friend and saying that I was trying to photograph eagles on the Des Moines River, but they were too far away for my camera. It is a nice camera but not the expensive kind with the long zoom. My friend said, ask God to be the zoom and bring the eagles closer to you for a closer picture.
I was also in prayer this week about a career change and trying to decide what to do. So I laid a fleece before God in hopes of getting an answer. Lord, bring an eagle up close to my camera so I know you want be to continue doing what you called me to do. Today, the eagle came closer and seemed to almost stand still in the air so I could get my close up shot of the eagle. Maybe we shouldn’t test God that way, but I recall God telling us to test his faithfulness in Malachi about money and tithing.
So today, God was my zoom on my camera. God affirmed my calling and answered my prayer. By the way I got several closer shots of the eagle. What’s next? I saw a mink crossing a log while I was waiting for the eagle. Didn’t get a picture of it, but maybe that will be my next prayer.
Actually, as I look back on this week. God has blessed me immensely with answered prayers and answers I didn’t even think about praying over. All week, all I could think about was the majesty of God in the image of the majestic eagle. Enjoy.
Mark Tuttle – pastor at Crossroads – a Free Methodist Church in Ankeny, Iowa
