The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? Isaiah 40:8-14, NIV

I love to read Isaiah chapter 40. I encourage you to read the whole chapter sometime and mark it so you can go back to it in times of doubt or trouble. In my Bible, the chapter is titled, “The Greatness of God.” This chapter is a rousing reminder of the strength, power, love, nurturing, and wisdom of our Creator God. He has always reigned and always will. He is powerful enough to set the mountains into place, yet nurturing enough to lead and carry His creation to safekeeping.

He is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; no one informs or teaches Him but rather, He is the ultimate teacher, who gives these to us. We consult Him, but never inform Him. He knows what we need before we even ask, yet waits patiently for us to ask so that we realize our dependency on Him and can witness His goodness.

Many people speak of “luck.” There is no such thing as luck. God is not random. Look at the words Isaiah used when He describes God’s activity from the beginning: measured, marked, calculated, and weighed. He is not a God of chaos or random luck, He is our hope, our Shepherd, our good news.

Prayer does not inform God of your need or circumstance, it invites Him to have His will in it. If anything matters to you, pray about it. Do not ever think that a need or issue is not important enough. Do not let Satan convince you that you should keep quiet because there are others who are “suffering more than you.” Lifting your voice in prayer shows God that you recognize your humble dependency on Him and that you trust that He is more than able to do abundantly and exceedingly more than we could ever think or imagine. Prayer voices our trust in Him to glorify Himself in our need at the right time in the right way while we carry on with today’s opportunities and blessings. Max Lucado says, “God places Himself between you and your need and at the right time, He gives you exactly what you need.” I know that while you are waiting for a certain need to be filled, He will also give you the patience and strength to wait upon Him if you ask. I know this because His promises and power give me the patience to persevere and to abide in Him with perpetual prayer. There is no power in “luck”; not in lucky charms, four-leaf clovers, a rabbit’s foot, or even a fortune cookie.

Lord, we trust in You. You are faithful and know our needs before we ask. Help us to be patient as we wait for Your answers to our prayers. Amen.

Copyright Kathy Branzell.

Kathy has a heart for encouraging Christian educators and currently serves as the President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Prior to this role, she was the founder and president of Fellowship and Christian Encouragement (FACE) for Educators.