A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm
at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like
island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no
other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more
powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite
sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food.
The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the
land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained
barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The
next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam
to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like
magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had
nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave
the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island.
The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man
on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings,
since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming,
"Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the
first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve
anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I
answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should
owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but
those of another praying for us.
With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers
are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself"