12/29/2024
As we draw near to completing this year of studying the subject of prayer I have been contemplating a statement that I read this morning during my time of devotion. It involves both our receipt of God's answer to the prayers we have prayed, and also how we justify our not having received an answer after we’ve asked Him for something.
"We have been nurturing a false faith and hiding the shame of our loss and inability to pray by the false, comforting plea that God does not answer directly or objectively, but indirectly and subjectively. Or we have comforted and nurtured our spiritual laziness by saying that it is not God's will to give it to us." - E. M. Bounds
This is a powerful indictment of our ability to pray and our faith, but even though God does intend to answer our prayers, and that most are answered directly, there are those that he answers indirectly or subjectively as well.
In the case of Elijah and the poor woman who shared her last bites of food with Him, we see a miracle, but then something unexpected happens… the woman's son dies and because of this Elijah prays...
“And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.”
1 Kings 17:20-22 KJV
The woman's son is revived from death. Elijah's faith and prayer united to reach the ear of God and He restored life to the woman’s son in answer. This was a time when God answered directly! The answer came that way because it was the best way to accomplish what God had in mind... to show the woman He was truly God and that Elijah was His prophet. If we read a couple of verses further, we will see that He has accomplished this:
“And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.”
1 Kings 17:24 KJV
There is prayer and there is purpose... God answers our prayers but He also does so in a way that suits His purpose, and His will.
Bounds, on the other hand, is right too. Our inability to pray and lack of faith is often covered and justified by the false claim that when we don’t see the answer then God has answered it in some unseen fashion or by choosing not to answer it at all. None of us wants to admit that our faith is weak or our praying lazy, or that perhaps our prayer was inappropriate. In fact, God answers all prayers that are prayed appropriately and in faith; He does this in a manner that is good and for the working of His purpose in our lives. In the case of Elijah He did this by raising the dead boy. God could have sent a doctor or had the boy simply awaken from a deathlike slumber, but that would not have suited His purpose... He needed this woman to believe in Him, and to know that Elijah was His prophet. He needed to answer Elijah’s prayer directly and powerfully. She knew her son had died; she had held his lifeless body to her bosom. But now he lived... and she believed this wholeheartedly. God’s purpose in the boy’s death, and in using Elijah to raise Him from the dead, had been achieved.
Jesus didn't raise every dead person that He came across, but He did heal when it suited God's purpose. Lazarus is a good example. So how do we know when to pray for certain things, and when to let the dead remain in the grave? When do we realize that our desires are based on our own emotions or selfishness and not the will of God? When a loved one is suffering even unto death it is hard to see God's will in that moment; so what is our prayer in such times?
In times of trouble and before asking for those things we think we want... we should seek God's will. I can't tell you the number of times in my life when I made a rash decision and found it to be the wrong one... it is the same thing when we pray. Before praying we need to have patience and seek God's will in the matter; we need to let the Holy Spirit lead us. Are we ready to ask as we should, and do so expecting an answer? Will we be satisfied with the fact that God’s will and purpose is done, and not necessarily our own?
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
Hebrews 10:36 KJV
Are we willing to pray as Jesus did in the Gardeen of Gethsemane by praying…
“And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.””
Luke 22:41-42 ESV
Prayer:
Thank you, Father, for answering our prayers as you promised, and for doing so in ways that will suit your purposes. Father, we ask that you give us patience to seek your will in those things we desire. We ask that your will be our guide in prayer and that our faith be sufficient when the time is right for us to ask of you. Lord, you are great and will provide all things we pray for, but we ask that you listen to our desires and just as we lead our children to ask honorable things of us, we beg you to lead us to ask of you those things that bring you honor, glory, and are good for us. In our prayers let your kingdom be advanced and our suffering relieved, but in everything we ask that your will be done. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who works your will in us, and through us. Holy are you who reveals your will to us and leads us in prayer as you have instructed. You are merciful and good in all things Lord, even those that at first blush appear to be harmful, hurtful, or contrary to our prayers. Help us in times such as this to believe despite our unbelief. Give us the strength of faith it takes to overcome our doubts, and trust in your Word as we lean on you. By our patience and ability to wait, let us see your purposes achieved, and your will be done. Let us see the good end in every answered prayer.
And in all prayers we will lift them up in the name of Jesus, to serve your will, and to praise and glorify you. Then, we will call out that all the saints join us in praising you by saying… Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! and claiming our prayers with us by joining us in…
Amen!
Rich Forbes