Monday night for the elders' meeting, Mike DeCamp asked us
to explain how over the past month, considering Kent Brantly’s Ebola virus
illness and recovery, we had been changed. My
answer was not very much, because I know God answers prayers and can do all
things. I did not know if Kent would survive Ebola, but I did know he would if
God wanted him to. I prayed for Kent and also Nancy Writebol (Kent’s co-worker)
to survive, so the world would know God’s power, and because Kent got sick
doing God’s work, and God would save him from it, if God so desired.
Am I amazed Kent has survived
Ebola? Yes. Am I amazed at God’s power in this situation? Yes. Of course! I
should be amazed at God’s power in all situations.
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| Mustard Seed |
In Mathew
17, verse 20, Jesus says, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you,
if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for
you.” So, while we should always stand in amazement of God, and be continually
transformed by the way he works in our lives, we should not be surprised when
he answers our prayers.
We should always be in awe of
God’s power, but be confident that he hears our prayers.
Maybe I don’t have a lot of faith, but I think I have faith
as small as a mustard seed. Is moving a mountain harder than curing Kent of the
Ebola virus? I don’t know. But it wasn’t a sure thing Kent would survive it,
despite being relatively young and fit, despite being a doctor, despite receiving
an experimental drug, and despite being evacuated. From what I understand,
Kent’s roughest days may have been before he was evacuated. Ebola is a viscious
killer, and can kill anyone no matter how strong, young, or cared for.
Complications can arise when your body’s organs and systems are attacked and
ravaged.
And the miracle happened!
Kent did survive, and so did Nancy! Wow! And yet, what did we expect? That God
would take out these two great servants of His? Of course not.
The main question I raise to myself
is: Did I pray more fervently for them than for someone else? And if so, why? I
should always expect God to answer my prayers, and I should always pray
fervently and with confident expectation. That’s what God teaches us. But do I?
No. I don’t. But I should. So this is my resolution: to pray fervently always,
and always with a faith. Good question Mike.
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