07/21/2021
When we are in prayer, and asking for something in the name of Jesus, how do we feel at that moment, what are we asking for, and are we asking so that we will bear more fruit for Him? Is what we are asking for in the name of Jesus meant to glorify God? So often our prayers are selfish in nature, and meant to do nothing more than satisfy our own immediate wants, but are our wants aligned with God’s wants; with His will, and His desire?
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
John 15:8 ESV
When praying any prayer, but especially in intercession for someone, the very first thing Jesus asks us to do is to glorify God, then we are to ask that our request advance God’s kingdom, and thirdly that God’s will be done in what we are asking. When Jesus taught us to pray the Lord’s Prayer this is how He taught us, but do we actually use this as our template in all of our prayers? Listen to His words again, and then let’s think about how we come to God when we pray…
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:9-10 ESV
When I think back on my life, and especially my early years as a Christian, I find that my prayers were more often than not self-serving. I prayed for a good grade on a test, financial wealth, for an illness to go away, a new car, a healthy baby, and too many other things to list, but very seldom was I concerned with whether those things actually glorified God, advanced His kingdom, or served His Will. I remember being disappointed when my prayers weren’t answered as I had prayed them, and sometimes became disillusioned with God because of this. If you have ever experienced a crisis of faith this is probably the reason why… you were disappointed in the outcome of a life situation; a prayer. Perhaps you lost a loved one that you had prayed time and time again for the Lord to spare, and you felt betrayed by this. Our will, and God’s will were not aligned, there was a greater purpose and glory to be gained for God than what we were asking of Him, or the fruit we were meant to bear for Him was different than what we thought it should be… understanding this is hard, but accepting it can be harder yet.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
God loves us in the same way, and intensity, that He loves Jesus, and Jesus loves us just as His Father loves Him. In this way all things work together for our good… we won’t see all things as good through our eyes, but even the bad times will ultimately be mixed in with the other ingredients in our life to form a good outcome.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
John 15:9 ESV
Looking just at the cross could anyone make a case for that terrible act as being good? I dare say, NO, but coupled with the resurrection it becomes something entirely different, and amazingly good. The question becomes this… do we ask God to reveal His ultimate will to us so that our prayers can be aligned with it, or are we too busy praying for each individual ingredient in life to see the finished pie He is preparing? How are we praying?
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your perfect will, and thank you for leading us through your Holy Spirit as we seek to be aligned with it in our thoughts, actions, and prayers. Teach us to ask for your revelation so that our will can be as yours, and our prayers bring glory to you, even as we pray for those things that will bring much fruit to your table. Help us Lord through the hard times that don’t look so good, or are painful, and help us in our unbelief so that we can trust in you always… knowing that your ultimate desire for us is amazingly good. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God whose love for us knows no bounds, and who is nothing if not good. Praised be your name in our answered prayers, and also for those prayers that go unanswered or seem to be answered in ways contrary to our good, because our faith is ultimately in your goodness, and your ultimate desire is to do good things for us. You are merciful Lord, providing us with escapes from temptation, and comforting us in our pains and times of grief. You do this to bring us through the storms that lie between us and your eternal glory. Wash us in the blood of your Son Jesus so that our sins will be washed away, and we will be forgiven. Show us His suffering, and His death, but ultimately reveal His resurrection and ascension. Teach us to look at our lives in this way, and to pray for the ultimate glory we will experience in your will for us… spending eternity with you.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:9-11 ESV
Rich Forbes