God will always respond

The return address on the envelope said it was from the White House, Washington, D.C. I couldn't imagine why President Bush would be writing me? I do e-mail him my weekly epistles but I didn't really think they ever got to his desk.

I know I turned fifty last month and that my parents have received special greetings from the White House on their birthdays. But I'm young. It's not like I turned 60 or something!

I did send him a note about the genocide in Darfur. I chuckled to myself as I thought that maybe the President was writing to ask me to for further suggestions to bring to the Cabinet meeting next month.

All kidding aside, I had no clue as to why I was getting this letter. I opened it and was delighted to see that it was a thank you letter from the President's office in response to my concern about affordable energy solutions. I had sent the President an e-mail (Yes I have become an activist in my advanced age!) about the economic injustice of rising energy prices and stressed that this was becoming an issue that needed to be given a high priority.

Nancy Theis, special assistant to the President, noted that the President is dedicated to doing something to change this and thanked me for my views. She also said the President welcomed any suggestions I might have. The truth is I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Even I know this is a form letter but it was nice to get something that acknowledges my concern.

The truth is that we like to have our concerns acknowledged and it doesn't always happen. That is true even in our relationship to God. Many of us pray every day for God to bring blessings, to help us work out situations in our lives, to be with friends who are struggling and more. So often we have to just sit back and wait to see what happens.

I believe that God does answer our prayers. He often speaks to us through the visit of a friend or a card from a neighbor. He speaks to us in surprise meetings and with unexpected gifts. Coincidences happen that almost look like answered prayer. Yet too often we look right past them and continue to wait for an answer in the form that we expect.

God is faithful. He does answer our prayers.

Cal