Now and Later

Every year we take the weeks leading up to The National Day of Prayer to prayerfully study the theme verse or verses that God has prompted us to bring to light and life in our prayer lives and to unite us in prayer on the first Thursday of May. The 2025 National Day of Prayer verse comes from Romans 15:13, which says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (NAS) and this has inspired our theme, “Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled!”

We begin this study today with the word, “Now.” The apostle Paul has been writing for what is now 15 chapters of how to live in response to all that Christ has done, is doing, and has promised to do in the lives of those who believe and follow Him. Romans 15:13 brings us to the crescendo of many pages of responses that begin with “therefore,” but now Paul scribes this God-breathed prayer and promise that should ignite us NOW just as it did its first readers in Rome and in every generation since.

 “Now” incites urgency, it is not the time to wait or hesitate. This word also brings immediate hope to our praying to the God of hope who promises that He not only hears but answers our prayers.  Our prayers immediately set His will in motion with our faith-filled request the very moment it overflows from our heart and leaves our lips. Sometimes we only have to wait a moment and sometimes weeks, years or believe for a lifetime to see the fruit and fullness of His answer to our prayers As we worshipfully wait hope should rise and thrive as we wait upon the Lord for His preparation, plans, and timing to come to perfection knowing all the while they were set into action as we poured out our prayer. Like the candy, Now and Later, the sweetness of our hope should last and increase as so many Scriptures throughout the Bible tell us what we are to do now, as God reveals His goodness and glory.

As you pray, do you have His goodness and glory in mind for now or do you imagine it down the road someday, but not necessarily today? We should always pray and not lose heart while also watching with joyful confident expectation. Watch with eyes of faith to see what God is doing and to pray into each step in the process and celebrate the progress. God is certainly able to do exceeding and abundantly more and far above and beyond what we ask or imagine and so we must be watching in every moment where His hands and heart are moving and give Him thanks and praise. The Bible is filled with accounts of people praying and the heavenly as well as earthly actions that follow in the fullness of time. Some prayers see miracles immediately, while others experienced the source and strength of God as His manifold wisdom revealed greater glory in the unfolding of time as God prepares every good work and every godly worker as we hope in Him and do not take matters into our own hands.

Pray now and receive God’s loving answer now and later, our hope is in God alone.

Lord, we lift up our prayers to You now, with overflowing love and hope; filled with faith in You the Creator of all that exists and knowing the earth is Yours and all it contains. Your praise and promises are our steadfast foundation and the fountain that flows from our hearts. I lift up praise to You, all that You are, every unchanging attribute and every promise in Your Word that is “yes and amen” in Christ Jesus. In these we pour out cries for help filled with hope. We thank You now believing that what is yet to be seen You have sown and will make known in Your perfect time and glory. You are our hope now and forevermore. In the powerful and promise-keeping name of Jesus we pray, Amen!

Serving Him with gladness,

Kathy Branzell

President