PUSH the clouds to the side please! I prayed this morning, as I watched dark, rain clouds coming towards me from afar. It had started as a sunny day and I’d gone to my terrace garden as usual, along with my dog and was playing with him, after which I normally sat with a pot of coffee and read my morning papers.
And then I saw the clouds. Now I’m one who asks God for the silliest of things, most often find it happening and have stopped thinking of such as miracles. “Lord, I need a parking place!” I cry when my driver is on leave and I drive to town, and find a car moving out just then giving me a place for parking.
Sometimes it’s “Lord could you ease this ache!” and He does oh yes He does. So when I saw those clouds above I did just that, “Push those clouds to the side please!” I prayed and smiled as I imagined huge strong angels giving gentle nudge to grumbling clouds and moving them out of the path of God’s child below. From childhood on my grandmother’s knee I’ve grown up believing in simple faith, “Bob,” she used to say, “Ask and you shall receive!” And oh yes I’ve asked and received alright!
I continued playing with my huge German- Shepherd, though I saw him looking worriedly up at gathering clouds, “You don’t know nothing, you silly dog,” I murmured affectionately, smiling at looming clouds and picturing angels getting ready for the final shove.
And then huge drops fell. I ran with a newspaper, coffee pot and mug and nearly fell as the dog tried to beat me downstairs. I was livid. “What happened God?” I asked, “Didn’t you hear my prayer?”
From the window below I watched the rain, gloomily and moodily scowling at triumphant clouds as they continued their journey right across my home. And then I sat up straight; like a thunder bolt had hit me; the rain clouds were following a path, over my house slightly to the right: I followed their course and knew where they were headed: To the lakes, the natural reservoirs which supplied water to the big city. Prayers had been offered by all and sundry as these lakes started drying and now God was sending huge clouds, laden with water like water- tankers, straight to those parched lakes.
“Now I understand Lord!” I cried ashamed. And I thought of the times we pray for something and wonder why prayers aren’t answered. Ah! It’s because God’s picture is big, we see rain clouds spoiling a morning, He sees his people’s thirst being quenched.
It’s a simple lesson I’ve learnt this morning, and as the rain falls outside I’ve rushed to type; it’s like God saying, “Tell them Bob, I always answer prayer, but it needs to be bigger than what you can see..!”
