The gracious God who answers prayer Dr Glenn Davies
A
round this time last year, I called upon the Diocese to offer prayer to our heavenly Father for the end of the drought that ravaged NSW for a number of years. While the world may think our prayers merely drift upwards without any apparent benefit to those below, we know that is not the case. God answers prayer.
The Bible is not only replete with answered prayers and fulfilled prophecies, our own experience confirms this to be the case. With the psalmist we declare: “Surely God has listened; he has heard my prayer” (Ps 66:19). Last month we heard the wonderful news that farmers were expecting their best harvest in three years, with heavy rainfall across NSW. Even Broken Hill, still classified as being in drought, saw the heaviest downpour for more than two years. Last year more than 97 per cent of the state was classified “in drought”, whereas today that is only 3 per cent – though some areas are still regarded as drought-affected. This should be a cause for much celebration, and much thanksgiving to our gracious God. Elijah suffered a similar situation in the 9th century BC when the land of Israel had drought for more than three years. Of course, in that situation the drought was caused by God’s chastisement of Israel for their unfaithfulness. Elijah had to flee to the Brook Cherith for safety, where he found God’s miraculous provision of food and water. Yet when the drought lifted, there is no record of SouthernCross
30
NOVEMBER 2020