Home » Blog » Daily Devotions » Devotions for Inspiration » Look Forward in Prayer

Look Forward in Prayer

The one prayer God never answers is “Please, let nothing change.”

Rick Hamlin, executive editor of Guideposts magazine.
Credit: Julie Brown Harwood
Guideposts' daily devotions offer a powerful way to begin your day uplifted and centered. But the impact doesn't stop there. Make a difference today! Your generous donation to Guideposts can transform lives. Together, we have the power to create positive change. Donate today and be part of a brighter, better tomorrow. Your support matters.

He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. Isaiah 53:2

There’s an old patch of wood that we keep unpainted in our back room near the storage cabinets. The dates and names start at the bottom, a little more than three feet above the ground, in childish handwriting.

The writing becomes more secure when the names rise higher, and it’s positively mature well above five feet. There’s William on 9-12-99 and then William a foot higher on 5-10-03. Timothy seems to make the same rapid progress a little behind his older brother.

Mom and Dad never seem to change. I never rise above five feet eleven inches, but the boys leapfrog over each other until you see them leap above their mother—a strong black line to mark the milestone—and then they rise above their father, leaving him in the dust.

Then the writing stops—no more updates; no need for more. But the old marks are still there, and I can glance at them when I’m getting down the gardening shears or looking for a screwdriver.

My friend Tib reminds me that the one prayer God never answers is “Please, let nothing change.” When I cling too tightly to the past, I can look at this record of how the boys grew until they towered over me.

So many answers to prayer in indelible ink. Someday we’ll have to move from this home, but I hope the new owners can make their own marks of progress along the wood.

Lord, let me look forward, always remembering the love that has been with me all along.

Share this story

Mornings with Jesus 2025 book Right Rail Ad

Community Newsletter

Get More Inspiration Delivered to Your Inbox

Scroll to Top