Praying And Doing Our Part

The story is told of a runner at a high school track meet who crossed the finish line just ahead of his nearest rival. Noticing the the winner's lips were moving during the last couple of laps, a bystander wondered what he was saying, so he asked him about it.

"I was praying," the runner answered. Then pointing to his feet, he said, "I was saying, 'You pick 'em up, Lord, and I'll put 'em down.'"

That athlete was praying for God's help, but he also did what he could do himself to answer his own prayer.

When we ask God for help, we must be willing to do whatever we can to fulfill our prayer request, using whatever talents and means He gives. When Hezekiah heard that he was going to die, he prayed and God promised to extend his life 15 years. Then Isaiah gave instructions to place a lump of figs on a troublesome boil he had (2 Kings 20:5-7). God did the healing, but He used human effort and natural means.

A couple of children were walking to school one morning, when it suddenly dawned on them that unless they really hurried, they were going to be late. One of them suggested that they stop and pray that they wouldn't be tardy. "No," the other child replied, "let's pray while we run as fast as we can."

Dear reader, let's remember that when we ask the Lord to do something for us in prayer, we must also be ready to do our part in the fulfillment of that prayer.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets