What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? -- Deuteronomy 4:7

When we are far away from family and old friends, we tend to trust more in the Lord than when we can easily reach out to someone who understands and will care for us in time of need. As they promoted Children for Christ and fought Modernism and Barthianism wherever they traveled, the Schaeffers went to many different countries in Europe. In their early years, they had great difficulties traveling because each country's language was foreign to them. In many situations they could not talk to anyone else about their needs. So, God taught them to bring everything to Him in prayer. God allowed them to get into situations where only He could help, and then in answer to their prayers He delivered them time and time again. In this way, God strengthened their faith and taught them to never take His care for granted, but praise Him in all things and every time He rescued them.

One day when they were traveling, Fran left his camera on the train and only remembered its loss when it sped off toward Helsinki. He and Edith asked the people on the platform for help, but no one understood them. They knew only one Person could help, so they prayed and asked God to reveal Fran's camera to their former traveling companion who had stayed on the train. They prayed specifically that he would see the camera hanging behind some women's coats and send it back to them. The situation seemed impossible, but they knew that God could retrieve a camera which they could not afford to lose. As they waited at the station for their next train, Edith heard "Schaeffer" announced over the loud speakers, but in the context of a foreign language that had no meaning to them. They heard it again, but could not understand what it meant; so they went to the telegraph office and learned that their friend had indeed found Fran's camera and would send it back on the next train. Fran and Edith rejoiced that God had heard their prayers once again.

God wants us to share everything with Him. None of our concerns are too unimportant or insignificant from His point of view. God shows His great love for us by teaching us to talk with Him about everything great and small. As our best Friend, He wants to draw us closer and keep us in continual conversation. As we get to know our great Friend better, we learn that we must take everything to Him in prayer. As we love God more and more, we will naturally (or better, supernaturally) want to be with Him and keep talking to Him no matter what we are doing, while we are doing it, and wherever we are going.

God also taught the Schaeffers that living by faith and prayer does not mean that we will never face deep hurts and losses. Living by faith and prayer does not prevent us from experiencing the consequences of living in a fallen world: the sins of others and the results of nature's brokenness will injure us. We do not know why Fran could lose a camera and then have it returned in answer to prayer; and then a short time later, why they would pray and Edith would still lose their unborn baby and almost her life with the complications. "Aren't babies more valuable than cameras," we might ask? If God can return a camera, can't He see a child safely from conception through birth? Yes, God can. When He does not, He has still promised believers in His Word that He will give them the grace they need in all things and will work everything that happens for their good and His glory. God has a purpose for our lives, and all our trials have a part. Sometimes, even in this life, God will allow us to see some of the blessings He brings from our troubles.

God led the Schaeffers through many traumatic afflictions and battles with demonic forces, because if they were going to use faith and prayer to demonstrate His reality, He would have to demonstrate His love, power, and all sufficient grace in many varied circumstances--including great losses. Living by faith is no guarantee we will not have difficulties. The commitment to live by faith alone may only guarantee that we will have to face trials and troubles that others may never face, so God can demonstrate in an authentic way His character, wisdom. and might in many difficult situations.

In His beatitudes, Jesus described seven wonderful blessings that will result from following Him and allowing Him to develop His character within us, and then He ended with the eighth promised blessing that if we are righteous and follow Him we may receive insults, persecutions, and false accusations (see Matthew 5:1-12). As God improved their character, the Schaeffers experienced all of these things in Switzerland. From the beginning of their mission work, they learned how Satan could oppose them by using the government and people who professed to be Christians.

Living a life of faith does not guarantee an easy time. An easy time does not guarantee we are living by faith. A particularly dark period in our lives may not indicate that we have forsaken God, but that Satan is attacking our hearts and minds, and an indication that we are still being faithful. If we do not learn this lesson early in our walk with the Lord, we may give up or misunderstand His leading when temptations and troubles pour in upon us.

With the loss of their baby and Edith's subsequent need to slow down and get a complete rest for her health, God taught her a new lesson on prayer. In the past, she had always prayed for more strength or time to get the needed work done herself. She remembered times when God simply "stopped their mail" for a time when they were all sick and did not want to get behind in their correspondence. But this time, God taught Edith to pray for some people to help her. As she rested in bed and read her Bible, she began to ask God to provide someone who could take Fran's dictation. In the morning, she once again surrendered herself and her important work to God, for Him to set her aside forever if necessary, for His provision of the help they needed if possible. And that very day she received a confirmation letter and phone call that God had provided suitable help. Almost immediately after God taught her this lesson and she submitted to His will, He provided just what they needed. Fran received the help of an executive secretary so Edith could rest.

In every affliction, we can trust God to teach us something about prayer and His character that will help us and others. If we will not fall to the temptation of blaming God, or of accusing God for being insensitive to our needs, or of becoming angry with God for not putting His awesome power at our personal disposal whenever we need it, then God will explain to us through His Word or in other ways the lessons we can learn in our situation for our benefit and others. If we remain faithful, God will always answer the spirit of our prayers and give us what we really need.

Prayer

Dear God, as I study prayer, I do not know why some prayers are answered and some are not. But I do trust in your holy character; in your love, justice, mercy, grace, and fairness. I know that you will work out all things for good. Please help me live each day on this belief and share this truth with others in ways that may be of real help to them. In Jesus' name, Amen.

© Copyright L. G. Parkhurst, Jr. Revised Edition 2008
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