The Praying Hands

It was decided by the flip of a coin. One was bound for fame and glory; the other, unknowingly, doomed to shattered dreams. There names – Albrecht and Albert Durer, brothers.  Their dream – to become famous artists.   But if you are familiar with the story behind of  “The Praying Hands,” you know that their dreams were never fulfilled.

As young men, these brothers had struck a bargain that one brother would go to college to study art while the other worked to put him through school.  Then, the college graduate through his earnings from his art or manual labor would put the other brother through school.  With the flip of a coin, it was decided that Albert would be the miner and Albrecht the student.

When the four years were past, Albrecht’s work exceeded expectations.   His future as an artist was to be enormous.  He returned home to share the great news, eager to see his brother and afford him the same great opportunity and education.  But four years of mining had taken its toll.  With disfigured fingers from multiple breaks and hands so arthritic they could barley hold the glass to toast his brothers achievements, Albert uttered the words of disappointment, “No, it’s too late for me.”

We have all known disappointment.  Maybe you have even experienced disappointment in the answer to your prayers.

Imagine what Abraham must have gone through after having communed with God in Genesis 18 and knowing in his heart of hearts that he had reached the heart of God and interceded for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  He knew God was going to answer his prayer.  He expected it.

And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnanace. – Genesis 19:27-28

Can you imagine the disappointment?  Sometimes with careful expectations comes awful observations.  Abraham got up early that morning with great care and expectation that his prayer had been answered just as he had pleaded the night before.  But what the morning held in store was awful.  What he observed was far from what he had expected – smoke rose from the valley.  The cities had not been spared.

I imagine the heart of Abraham sank in disappointment.  I can imagine Abraham questioning, “What if I had prayed one more time?  What if I had asked Him to spare it for 5 righteous?  What if……?”

I wonder if, for a moment, Abraham started to become bitter at God.  “God, this isn’t what I wanted!  God, You didn’t answer my prayer!  God, how can You do this!  God, You said You would not destroy the righteous with the wicked! God……”

Have you ever questioned God?  Ever been disappointed?  Ever become bitter?

Abraham was right when he said,

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? – Genesis 18: 25

God was going to do what was right.  God did what was right (as we will see in the next blog).  He just didn’t do it the way Abraham thought He would.  Abraham had a choice when God did not answer his prayer the way he wanted – He could become bitter at God, or He could trust God. Even when it appears that God had done the unthinkable, we must remember that God will always do what is right!  Many times we must choose between trusting our frail understanding or having faith in God’s omnipotence and His holiness.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil – Proverbs 3:5-7

We ask,

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? – Genesis 18: 25

Certainly!!!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning – James 1:17

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. – Jeremiah 33:3

[Article 6 of 7 in Series on Prayer]

Article 1 – An Anomaly of the Christian Life

Article 2 – Between Friend

Article 3 – The Hose of Prayer

Article 4 – Forged Prayer

Article 5 – Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Article 6 – The Praying Hands

Article 7 – God Remembered