Our pre-school grandson must have overheard the weather forecast last night. "Chance of rain - maybe a few snow flurries." That's all he needed to hear.
He began to pray fervently. "Jesus, please make it snow tomorrow." Flurries are barely snow, but apparently the mention of them is enough fuel for hope. And faith. Especially faith.
This morning, the little guy was standing in his jammies, in front of the big window in the living room, staring out at a day that was just plain old gray. No white. Then suddenly, there they were. The first flurries. Well actually, flakes. He started running around the living room shouting, "Thank You, Jesus! Thank You, Jesus! You made it snow!"
Yes, He did. Appreciably more than the weatherman forecast.
But not only did Jesus answer a little boy's prayer, but a little boy showed us what faith looks like. Asking God for what only He can do. Then expecting Him to do it. Watching for the answer to come.
We've had a Bible verse up in our prayer chapel for quite a while. David says, "O Lord, You hear my voice...I lay my requests before You" - now here's the faith part - "and wait in expectation" (Psalm 5:3).
Oh, I regularly "lay my request before" Him. But how often do I "go to the window," expecting Him to answer? Faith walks into the Throne Room of God, all bent over with the heavy burden we're carrying in. But it walks out standing tall, burden gone, left at His Throne. If I'm still all weighed down after I've prayed about it, then I've talked to Him about it, but I haven't trusted Him with it.
Sure, the "snow" doesn't always come. Or come on my schedule. But I've got a Father who loves me and only says no if He's working on something that's more for my good.
But I wonder how many times the answer didn't come because I didn't really believe Him for it? After all, my Savior said, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24). And "without faith, it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
I want to be the little boy at the window.