The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States “GOD ANSWERS PRAYER” for Monday, 22 August 2016 with Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:15-23

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States “GOD ANSWERS PRAYER” for Monday, 22 August 2016 with Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:15 Then Natan returned to his house.
Adonai struck the child that Uriyah’s wife had borne to David, and it became very ill. 16 David prayed to God on behalf of the child; David fasted, then came and lay all night on the ground. 17 The court officials got up and stood next to him trying to get him off the ground, but he refused, and he wouldn’t eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to us; if we tell him now that the child is dead, he may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw his servants whispering to each other, he suspected that the child was dead. David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” and they answered, “He is dead.”
20 Then David got up off the ground, washed, anointed himself and changed his clothes. He went into the house of Adonai and worshipped; then he went to his own palace; and when he asked for food, they served it to him; and he ate. 21 His servants asked him, “What are you doing? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; because I thought, ‘Maybe Adonai will show his grace to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he’s dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
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The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.[Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)]
When my husband was critically ill, I prayed and fasted, asking God to heal him; but my husband died. At that moment I could not understand why God did not answer my prayer. But during my grieving moment a friend shared David’s story in today’s reading with me. I found strength in David’s words when he said: “Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
God answers prayer but not always in the way we want or expect. David fasted and prayed desperately that the child would live, even when he knew that God clearly had said that the child would die. David thought his prayer and fasting would change the outcome — but it did not. God did not heal David’s child or my husband, but God did remain present.
Losing a loved one is painful, but we can learn to move forward. We can take comfort in God’s promise to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). When we draw on God’s grace day by day and allow God to heal our wounded soul, life will go on, and God will always be there for us.
The Author: Rhoda Gowarto Manzo (Nigeria) — See back cover.
Thought for the Day: Life goes on, and God goes with us.
Prayer: Dear Lord, comfort us when we grieve and give us grace to move forward, knowing you will be with us. Amen.
Prayer focus: SOMEONE WHOSE SPOUSE HAS DIED

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