Expect the Best from God - The Crosswalk Devotional - March 5
Expect the Best from God
By Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8, NIV
Saint Patrick was kidnapped by pirates at age 16 from what is now Scotland and taken to Ireland as a slave, far from his family and friends. In his despair, he turned to God, spending many hours in prayer while working as a shepherd for an Irish chieftain. Patrick’s prayers were filled with bold faith. When he prayed, he really expected God to answer and trusted that God would intervene somehow to bring the best out of his challenging situation. One night, after years of captivity, Patrick had a dream in which an angel from God told him to flee to the coast. With nothing but faith to guide him, Patrick obeyed. Against all odds, he found a ship waiting to take him back to his homeland. This miraculous answer to prayer not only freed Patrick but also strengthened his trust in God’s ability to answer prayers well. Eventually, after training for the clergy and becoming a bishop, Patrick chose to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick faced a lot of opposition as he began to share the Gospel with the Irish people. But instead of giving up, Patrick prayed that God would do what’s best to make his power known to the people of Ireland. God answered Patrick’s prayers so powerfully that, over the years Patrick traveled through Ireland preaching, countless people came to faith in Jesus and established churches there.
A prayer attributed to Patrick called “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate” shows how strongly Patrick expected God to be working in his life. In one section of that prayer, Patrick wrote: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.” Patrick’s life shows us what can happen when we pray with confidence, expecting God to do great things in response to our prayers.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:7-8 also encourages us to expect the best from God when we pray. In this passage, Jesus assures us that God is eager to bless us, his children. When we pray, we aren’t trying to convince a distant God to care about our needs. We’re communicating with a loving Heavenly Father who delights in giving good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11).
Do you approach God with the confidence that he hears and answers your prayers? Sometimes, we limit our prayers to small, safe requests because we’re afraid of disappointment. But our biggest prayers are still small compared to God’s infinite power and generosity.
Big, bold prayers are not about demanding our own way but about seeking God’s will and trusting our big God to answer in the best ways and at the best times. When we pray with this kind of faith, we open ourselves to experiencing God’s best blessings in every part of our lives.
So, reflect on your own prayer life. Are there areas where you’ve hesitated to ask God for guidance or help, because you’ve struggled with fear or doubt? Let Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7-8 remind you to “ask, seek, and knock” when you pray. God loves to hear from you, and he will consider any prayer you bring to him. As you pray, dare to bring your biggest hopes and dreams before our big God. Then trust God to answer in powerful ways. Remember, you’re speaking to the Creator of the universe, who has unlimited power! Expect the best from God, and watch as God works in wonderful ways every day of your life.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider how you can trust God to give you what’s best when he answers your prayers, reflect on these questions:
- How does Saint Patrick’s example inspire you to pray big prayers, with faith in God to answer in big ways?
- Are there any areas in your life where you’ve hesitated to ask God for guidance or help? Why?
- How can you develop a habit of expecting the best when you pray and trusting God more?
- Think about a time when God answered one of your prayers. How did that experience strengthen your faith?
- What specific prayer will you bring to God today, believing that God will answer in the way that’s best?
Further Reading:
Jeremiah 33:3
John 14:13-14
Ephesians 3:20
James 1:6
Psalm 37:4
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Hakase
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