GOD is the Source of all good. Every blessing we enjoy comes down from Him. He is the Father of lights, who is unchanging in His love and grace, and in whose dealings with us there is “no shadow cast by turning,” as the last, part of this verse has been translated. His face is ever toward us. In all circumstances we may go to Him in perfect confidence assured of a welcome and a sympathetic ear as we tell Him all that troubles and perplexes us. It Isaiah His joy to undertake for us. He delights to lavish His rood and perfect gifts upon His obedient children. If He seems to withhold it is because He has some better thing or us, or because we need to judge something His holy eye has detected in our ways which makes it necessary to treat is with reserve. When all is right He gives without stint an answer to our prayer.
“God answers prayer! the prayer of His dear children!
He’s sure to answer, if they keep His will.
He answers prayer! Yes—prayer concerning all things!
There’s nothing over-much for His great skill.
God answers prayer! Not always when we ask Him;
It may seem good to Him that we should wait.
How long? Ah well, ‘tis only He that knoweth;
But sure, His answer will not be too late.
God answers prayer! Not always as we want Him;
He does not always answer prayer with ‘Yes’;
He sometimes answers ‘No!’ because He loves us,
And sees the thing we ask could never bless.
And God would have us learn to sweetly trust Him—
To chiefly want His will—not our request;
To know whate’er may be His settled answer,
His will is highest, holiest, and best.”
―J. Denson Smith.