Why He Answers Prayers

Last week, Judah saw his opthamologist at Hopkins, Dr. Jampel, who has always done his exams on Judah in the OR which, of course, requires anesthesia. However, at the visit before this more recent one, Dr. Jampel said that he acquired a new tool that he thought Judah would tolerate him using in the office. So, we scheduled an office visit rather than what we have done for the last 6 years, an EUA (evaluation under anesthesia).

Judah did indeed tolerate the new "tonometer" which didn't require any numbing drops! He still had a gun shaped object tapping on his eyeball, but hey, no numbing drops! So, I guess that worked for Judah. Whatever. I was happy and so was Judah not to have to endure anesthesia.

Checking for infection in Judah's eyes is always a part of Dr. Jampel's exam because Judah had a type of glaucoma surgery in the 2nd year of his life that is prone to infection. After Dr. Jampel determined that all looked good, and Judah's eyes were "quiet and stable", he communicated that the kind of surgery Judah had as a toddler doesn't typically work for the SWS kids, so much so that Dr. Jampel doesn't even do it! Dr. Jampel further remarked that the doctor who did Judah's surgery must have had the "Midas touch".

I have a bit of a different opinion about this.

You see, from the day Judah was born and we learned of his Sturge Weber and all that this syndrome entails for many children, we have been praying along with many, many others to a God who listens to and answers our prayers. He doesn't always answer according to our will, but He always answers according to our good.

Because I trust in Jesus who shed His blood for all my sin, I can now gain an audience with the Creator God anytime over anything, and He will listen to my prayer! Had Jesus not come and taken the punishment of God that I deserved for my sins, I would pray to a God who would not and could not listen to my prayers. Maybe I would still pray to make myself feel better, but my prayers would be in vain.

I'm grateful that my prayers and the prayers of others on Judah's behalf are not in vain. They are directed to the One who created Judah, who sustains Judah and who will answer our prayers on Judah's behalf with mercy.

Judah has baffled his doctors on more than one occasion, but we are not baffled. We know the One who established the natural order of things and who can also supersede that order should He choose. We want to humbly receive all the answers God gives us to our prayers on Judah's behalf even when they are "No; I'm not going to sustain or heal in the ways you are asking," trusting that He who did not spare His only Son but gave Him up for us will graciously give us all that we really need! (Romans 8:32)

*For 2 excellent posts on prayer, visit The Blazing Center here:

http://www.theblazingcenter.com/2011/01/when-the-praying-gets-tough-the-tough-get-praying.html

and here

http://www.theblazingcenter.com/2011/01/expectant-faith.html