Doing our part

I have heard your prayer . . . ; surely, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. – 2 Kings 20:5

A runner at a school track meet crossed the finish line just ahead of his nearest rival. A bystander, noticing that the winner’s lips were moving during the last couple of laps, wondered what he was saying. So he asked him about it. "I was praying," the runner answered. Pointing to his feet, he said, "I was saying, ‘You pick ‘em up, Lord, and I’ll put ‘em down.’ " That athlete prayed for God’s help, but he also did what he could to answer his own prayer.

When we ask God for help, we must be willing to do whatever we can, using whatever means He gives. When Hezekiah heard that he was going to die, he prayed for a miracle, and God promised to extend his life 15 years. Then Isaiah gave instructions to place a lump of figs on the troublesome boil (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 replied, "let’s pray while we run as fast as we can."

When we ask the Lord to do something, we must also be ready to do our part.

– Richard De Haan

How does the truth of today’s article apply to illness?

To receiving a job promotion? To

social evils?

To final exams? To increasing faith?

READ: 2 Kings 20:1-7

Pray as if everything depends on God;

work as if everything depends on you.