With God, All Things are Possible

Teach me to pray,” I pleaded with all of my being. I had just invited Jesus to live in my heart, “Come live in me and I will live for You.” I knew how to pray formal prayers that someone else had written and how to beg God for something, but it was time for me to grow up.
I really wanted to know how to communicate with the Living God. I had no idea how God would teach me, but I was about to learn that He really does meet us right where we are and uses our particular circumstances to show us the way.
My first lesson came from Scotty, my six year old, who asked during family prayer time one evening, “Mommy, can Jesus really do anything?”
“Yes, Scotty, Jesus can do anything.”
“I mean, can He do anything?”
“Yes, Scotty. See, right here in my Bible it says, ‘With God, all things are possible.’” I chuckled inside. He was so cute and so serious about his prayers.
We settled down and began to pray. After a few minutes, I heard Scotty’s little voice, “Dear Jesus, please help it to snow here like it does in Virginia.”
“Scotty,” I interrupted, “Sweetheart, you can’t pray for snow. It can’t snow in Florida. We’re too far south.”
“But you just said that Jesus can do anything.” He seemed confused.
“I know, but this is a law of nature. It’s impossible. You have to pray for something that can really happen.”
Scotty looked troubled. “But why can’t it happen, when Jesus can do anything?”
Now I was confused. “Just how do you explain that to a six year old?” I asked myself.
The next day I presented the problem to JoAnn, the leader of our women’s prayer group, who seemed knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord. She advised me to let Scotty pray the way he wanted to pray. “The Lord will be the one to teach him.”
But JoAnn’s suggestion didn’t quell my anxiety. “I have to be concerned,” I cried inwardly. “What am I supposed to do when he gets tired of praying and decides that God doesn’t answer prayer? What am I supposed to do then?”
But Scotty never tired of praying for snow. Through the heat of August and September, through October, November, and December, he ended all his prayers with “… and dear Jesus, please help it to snow.”
One day, I overheard him say, “I can’t wait til it snows and I can make the biggest snowball!”
My other children, Shane and Jennifer, began to share in his anticipation. I wanted no part of it. How was I going to handle their disappointment when their prayers were not answered?
January arrived and it seemed much colder than the year before. JoAnn came to pick me up for a meeting and we discussed the unusual weather. At one point, she looked up in the sky and said, “You know, I’m from Michigan, and those clouds sure look like snow clouds to me.”
I could not believe what I was hearing. “JoAnn, Scotty is still praying for snow! Do you think there could be any connection?”
She laughed, “So that’s why we’re having all this cold weather! You tell Scotty to stop! We sure don’t need any snow.”
When I returned home, I called “SCOTT CHRISTOPHER ROACH!” in the tone of voice that says, “I want you immediately!” He came running.
Trying to keep a straight face and sound serious, I said, “Scotty, my friend JoAnn wants you to stop praying for snow because snow clouds are beginning to gather over Florida.”
Scotty’s eyes danced and he grinned from ear to ear. He clasped his hands together and pleaded, “Dear Jesus, ple-a-s-e make it snow!”
It’s very difficult to remember what happened in the next couple of minutes. I do remember joyful screams of “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” from the children as they rushed outside. A feeling of awe came over me as I watched Scotty yelling, “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!”
I followed them outside. There, the unheard of was happening. Slowly, gracefully, white star- like flakes were falling to the ground. It was snowing in Florida.
As I stood in wonder, I could hear the voice of God deep in my heart, “I am the God of all the universe. Is anything too difficult for Me?”
In time, I understood that the Holy Spirit used this one answer to my little son’s prayer to revolutionize my prayer life and teach me four lessons.
First, with God, all things are possible (Mark 10:27:10).
I looked up the definition of all in our Webster’s Dictionary. The definition of all is all. I realized that I had to take all limits off God and let go of all my preconceived ideas about what He can and will do for His children. Also, I could ask for the desires of my heart, not just my needs.
Second, Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).
I had to learn to believe like a little child that the promises of God were for me. I had to learn to call those things that are not as though they were. I had to trust that a loving Father will do what He promises.
Third, the vision still has its time, press on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late (Habakkuk 2:3).
I had to learn to persevere and be persistent in prayer without losing my enthusiasm for the answer. I had to learn to pray through the heat of doubt, discouragement, and disappointment and to learn to wait for God’s perfect timing.
Last, has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? (Luke 17:18).
I had to learn to rejoice and thank God for His answers. A grateful heart brings the presence of God and opens the door to many more blessings.