Have you ever wondered why God seems to be answering everyone else’s prayers but not yours? Does it seem like He is always available for your friends, and semi-friends, (c’mon, it’s all those people who say they’re your friends on Facebook but you haven’t really spoken to or seen in decades!) but just not you? And speaking of Facebook, doesn’t it seem like everyone else’s life is so much better than yours? The vacations they take, the cars they buy, their kids who get all A’s and help old ladies across the street at every intersection. You know who I’m talking about. And it never seems to be you! What is going on and what is God doing? Is it possible He has forgotten about you, your circumstances, your difficulties? There may be a unique combination of punctuation, science, and a story from the New Testament that might shed some light on this. First of all, the punctuation mark. Do you know them all? Go ahead, try to guess – ready – GO! Did you get em? Are you still trying and it’s taking you longer than you thought? There are 14 in all, some commonly used, some not so much. One that you might be aware of but never able to name is the symbol for DOT DOT DOT … – it’s called an “Ellipsis!” What it means is something is missing. It can be used at the end of an sentence to indicate that it is unfinished. Is it possible, that is what is happening with the prayers we are praying. Sometimes, there is a yes, and sometimes there is most definitely a no. But sometimes, the final chapter hasn’t been written. As Mark Batterson says in “The Circle Maker,” God hasn’t finished that sentence. The problem is that while were living in the dot, dot, dot of life, we tend to give up, stop praying, stop believing, because we can’t SEE anything happening. Were not even sure we can see God at all! That’s where the science of an ECLIPSE comes in. (I added the “s” in the title just so it would rhyme! ELLIPSES, ECLIPSES! Get it?) The Light that is supposed to be part of our daily journey seems to be covered up and unable to penetrate through the darkness that surrounds it. And it is affecting our trip through life! We’re tired of Facebook and seeing how easy life is for everyone else while knowing inside how really difficult things are for ourselves. But here is where the NT story comes into play. Check this out:
Luke 7:18 – 23 – The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’” At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.”
John the Baptist is in prison and it’s not going well. He is holed up in a cell out in the desert and Jesus has gone to a seaside villa! In fact, John has heard from his friends (and probably Facebook) that He is doing some amazing things for people, even supernatural things, but he hasn’t gotten a visit, a care package, even a card, and they’re supposed to be cousins! What is going on? And John begins to waver – even though just a short time ago he had pointed out Jesus and called Him the one who would take away the sins of the world, and even thought he had experienced that incredible Baptism in the Jordan river, in the darkness, he is wondering, questioning, doubting. And Jesus responds with “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.” Just because I haven’t made a move yet, John, don’t stop believing! (“Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit! Sorry, 80’s Journey moment) God blesses those who keep believing, keep praying, keep moving. Everyday is one step closer to God answering, to Him finishing the sentence that we think has already been finished. Remember an Ellipses will ultimately get finished, and eclipse will ultimately pass, and if the cousin of Jesus is any kind of an example, everybody is going through something at some point… even your friends on Facebook that seemingly have it all together. So, don’t quit, don’t stop praying, don’t stop looking for the light of God’s direction. And if you find yourself in the Ellipses Eclipse(s) of life, keep looking for God to………We’ll let Him finish it!
Vision for the Road Ahead! 