We know that God listens but we also know that we can’t make the Lord do something for us. Often when a prayer we say isn’t granted we discover that God helps us nonetheless, in a way we hadn’t expected. But we can’t help wondering …
Do we ever change God’s mind?
CS Lewis offers a wonderful illustration in Prince Caspian, the second volume of his fantasy, The Chronicles of Narnia, the land where animals can talk. The tale climaxes with a huge battle. In the aftermath, Reepicheep, a very brave, but also very proud warrior mouse appeals to the great lion Aslan (Narnia’s savior) for the recovery of his tail that has been chopped off in combat. He protests that because of his modest size, he does not deserve to go forward in life without his tail – “the honor and glory of a Mouse.”
Aslan wonders if Reepicheep does not think too highly of his honor, but when He sees the wounded leader’s company with swords drawn ready to hack off their own tails lest they “bear the shame of wearing an honor which is denied to the High Mouse,” the Lion reconsiders:
“Ah!” roared Aslan, “you have conquered me. You have great hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love that is between you and your people, … you shall have your tail again.”
I can’t think of a better illustration of what the prophet Joel records:
“This most patient God, extravagant in love,
always ready to cancel catastrophe.
Who knows? Maybe he’ll do it now,
maybe he’ll turn around and show pity” (Joel 2:13-14 The Message).
How amazing is our Lord who stands ready to make room in the divine plan for our earnest requests?
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