An Immediate Response To Prayer

I find that when I pray, I sometimes am in the mindset that my prayer will somehow be “queued up” for God to process later.  I know that is not true, but I know that sometimes I think my prayers will be delivered to God like an e-mail – He will get to it when He has a chance, at some later time.  Again – there is no reason for me to think that way, but it’s just a feeling that I occasionally get.

But this is not so, as the Bible tells us that the Spirit intercedes for us, and God is singularly able to process EVERYTHING that comes His way.  And I am reminded of God’s ability to hear and act IMMEDIATELY in today’s passage.  As Solomon completes his prayer of dedication of the Lord’s temple, we read:

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.  The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it.  When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”  — 2 Chronicles 7:1-3

Can you imagine what it would be like to finish a prayer, and immediately have fire from heaven come down and consume your sacrifice?  Would there be any doubt in your mind that God had just heard your prayer, and was responding with affirmation?  I would love for this to happen to me one day.  A question – does God still reveal Himself in this way to His people today?