The Pig Foot Prayer
Verses:
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him in truth.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Joe was down on his luck. Things were not going his way. He had lost his job at the mill. Not only were the bills pilling up, the pantry was slim, and the freezer was empty. Hoping to provide for his family, he decided to go hunting. He put his rifle in the truck and drove to a large field near his home, parking on the edge near the dirt road. While walking to the backside of the field he thought of the importance of making the shot when a buck or doe came into the field. Venison for supper would suit the wife and kids a lot better than that jar of homemade pickled pig feet Aunt Sara had given him last year that was still in the pantry. After climbing the stand and getting settled, Joe prayed "Lord, please provide a meal for my family." An hour went by and nothing came into the field. Joe thought, "Better pray again." "Dear Lord, things are not going well, would you please bring a meal into this field?" He thought that should do it. The dog needs something to eat; he can have the pig feet. Another hour passed and still nothing in the field. The squirrels weren't even moving this afternoon. The later it got the more discouraged Joe became. "I guess we will be gnawing on the hogs hoof tonight." He thought. Joe prayed again "Dear Lord Jesus I give you thanks for this day, I know you will see me through this, will you please bring a meal into this field?" No sooner than Joe finished praying, he caught a glimpse of a car pulling up the road near his truck in the edge of the field. The car stopped and the driver sat in the car for a few minutes. Joe, not recognizing the car, wondered what the driver was doing. The driver popped the trunk and pulled something red out and started walking toward Joe's truck, stopping by the driver's side door and gas tank. Joe said to himself ,"Well isn't this something, here I am down on my luck trying to feed my family and this rascal is going to steal the last bit of gas I have in my truck!" Joe raised his rifle and fired three quick shots in the dirt in front of his truck. At the crack of these shots; the driver ducked, spun around and started running low like a flushed hog through some palmetto bushes. The gallous of his overalls caught on the bumper of Joe's truck it and snatched him like a calf being roped at the rodeo. The driver scrambled towards the car; finally making it to his feet, he jumped in and sped away with dust flying and the trunk bouncing up and down with every hit of the potholes in the road. Joe got down and made his way across the field back towards his truck. As he drew closer, he noticed what he thought was a red gas can was in fact a red cooler by the truck and a note stuck in the handle of his door. The note read:
Joe,
I was heading towards your house and noticed your truck. You probably don't remember me, but we met at the sportsman's club supper held a few months ago. I remembered how you liked the Spot Tailed Bass we ate. I had some good luck catching a pile of these and the Lord laid it on my heart to bring you and your family a cooler full of them, already cleaned. My friend, may God bless you and your family.
Bill
Many of us are much like Joe when we pray. We pray for a need in our lives or for a need in the lives of others. We continue to pray; when we don't get an answer sometimes, or maybe all of the time, we become discouraged. We feel God is not listening to us because we don't get a quick response or, more often than not, because God did not give us the result we wanted. Sometimes, like Joe, we fail to see clearly what God is revealing to us and try to take the result into our own hands. Take a look at the three verses again. Isn't it great to know that we can come to the Lord Jesus in prayer with everything? We don't have to be anxious; and he is near and will hear us! Even though we don't always understand the result, if we surrender it to Him, He answers' prayer according to His will for us. Isn't that what is truly best for us all? I wonder if Joe will ask for forgiveness from Bill. We will take a look at that next time. May the Lord add His blessings and may each of us pray for His will in our lives and in the lives of those with whom we come into contact.
In Christ,
Bo Fordham
