Psalm 106:15: "So he gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease upon them."
Which do you prefer: a prayer denied or a prayer answered?
Surely, we want God to grant our requests. We want to receive the things that we are longing for. Hindi matino para sa isang tao ang humingi pero ayaw namang tumanggap. We ask because we want to receive.
Ngayo’y baguhin natin ang tanong. Alin ang gusto ninyo: Ipagkait ng Diyos ang ating hinihiling- pero nakangiti siya sa atin o ibigay ng Diyos ang gusto natin pero nakasimangot naman siya?
Minsan ay nagreklamo ang mga Israelita: “Hay! Abo ba natan ‘to? Wala man lang karne… Buti pa sa Ehipto, may isda… may pipino… may milon. May sibuyas… may bawang…pero Ngayon puros manna… manna… manna… Sawang-sawa na kami. Bumalik na lang tayo sa Ehipto”
Ano ang tugon ng Panginoon? Ibinigay niya ang layaw ng kanilang puso. Umihip ang hangin at dala nito maraming karne, karne ng pugo. Abot hanggang baywang, pulot lang ng pulot. Malamang ay sasabihin ng iba: "Aba, answered prayer!"
Subalit sa galit ng Diyos, ang kasunod ng karne ay isang salot at marami ang namatay. Bakit, ang sabi sa verse 13, “they forgot his works” and “they did not wait for his counsel”. They did not honor him as holy. They think of God as untrustworthy. Their belly is more important than God. They craved for meat… they craved for fish… they craved for cucumbers, melons, onions and garlic… May gana sa pagkain, pero walang gana sa Diyos.
Brethren, what does it profit a man if he gains the desires of his heart yet forfeits the pleasure of God? Let us honor Him. Let us wait for his counsel. Let us trust and obey. By His perfect wisdom, He knows what to give. And He knows what to withhold.
Let us keep on asking, but let us remember that we should seek the Giver, not the gifts.
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Hi Kuya Manny,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. There were times in my life when I did something which did not turn out as I planned. I had prayed to God, but He gave a different answer. A few years later, I realized that what happened during those times was something that actually benefited me. God heard my prayers. He did not give exactly what I asked, but gave me something better. He gave an answer that made me sad temporally, but it was something that would never frustrate me in the future.
Anyway, welcome to the blogosphere. I found your blog through Turretinfan's blog which I regularly visit despite my busy schedule.
I believe that what happens in our real lives also holds true to some extent in the blogosphere. Tell me what your favorite blogs are, and I will tell you who you are! Your blogroll says a lot about your theological leanings. Thanks. :)
Thanks Albert! The desire to join the blogosphere was prompted by my desire to minister to friends faraway. Alam mo naman ang mga Pinoy, kung saan-saan napapadpad.
ReplyDeleteMedyo malayo sa interes ng BARM forum members ang mga bagay na ipapaskil ko dito: more on practical theology-- yun kasi ang ministry ko sa church. "Pang-masa theology" kumbaga.