PRAISING GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYER
In this month’s Health & Nutrition Newsletter, I read an interesting report based on a study of the “dose-response” effect of exercise – that is, if you exercise more than the minimum recommended for you, do the benefits increase?
The conclusion was: More IS better – significantly so – especially the effect that “more than recommended” has on the reduction of high levels of anxiety – of the kind that, more often than not at our age, is associated with worrying about the possibility of experiencing traumatic disease or tragic death – both highly unlikely.
Mark Twain: “I’m an old man and I have had many problems in my life, most of which never happened!” We spend too much time needlessly worrying.
Perhaps you have noticed that so many Christians seem to be so “restless” when they ought to be so “rested” – at peace.
Jesus’ disciples, worried about their Lord’s impending date with destiny, observed the positive effect His frequent exercise of prayer had on Him. They saw how His “restlessness” turned into “restedness” after He prayed passionately.
They must have thought: “Why not us”? Why shouldn’t prayer have the same effect on us? Thus, they said to Jesus: “Lord, teach us to pray”.
In response to their request, Jesus first of all recommended a minimum dose for effective praying – a model for how to pray and what to pray for – Luke 11:1-4 . . .
The very first word tells us that in prayer we are not coming to someone out of whom gifts have to be unwillingly extracted, but to a “Father” who delights in supplying the needs of His children.
Jesus ascribed to God the name “Father” just as Isaiah had prophesied - 9:6 . . . 63:16 . . . God the Father of the Son became the Father of all who believe in the Son and commit their lives to Him. His name shall be “Everlasting Father”.
A name in Hebrew meant the whole character of the person so named, as the psalmist (9:10) said: “They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.”
We who know the character, the mind and the heart of The LORD God will gladly and unreservedly put our trust in Him because He is “Father”. Thus: Before asking anything for ourselves, we are to give Him the glory . . . show the respect and reverence due Him!
The rest of our praying covers all of life - present needs . . . past sins . . . future situations (trials) that test our insight . . . integrity . . . “level of maturity” – meaning how well we (as Christians) “know” the LORD . . . to what extent we “believe God and believe in (have entered into a trust relationship with) the Son of God” - stated eloquently in I John 5:1-12.
God answers prayers of those who know the LORD . . . rely on His authority . . . respect His superiority . . . reverence His holiness . . . whose requests are based on needs not deeds – “Humbly I bow before Thee – not, haughtily I seek to wow Thee”. . . . “and another thing, lest you get the idea that it is your prayers that move God rather than God who moves you to pray, I want to tell you a story to illustrate what God, in responding to your needs, is NOT like; then I want to make a couple of points to illustrate just how God DOES respond to your needs” - Luke 11:5-13 . . .
Folks: We have a standing invitation to pray to God - anytime, anyplace, under any circumstance . . . without hesitation or reservation . . . with a great deal of determination . . . to stay in touch, to stay the course with no limitations whatsoever – in contrast to the unwilling friend who resented being bothered, inconvenienced, let alone to meet the need of a stranger - of all people!
The word translated “persistence” actually referred to an act of “shameless insistence” on the part of the one whose guest arrived at an ungodly hour . . .
Perhaps his desperate insistence had more to do with his concern about shame he might feel if he broke with Jewish custom pertaining to hospitality by not providing for the traveler right then and there rather than wait ‘til morning.
Or, maybe he was thinking of how proud he would be of himself when word got around that he had gone to such great lengths to provide for a weary traveler in the middle of the night. (After all, there were no Waffle Houses back then!)
Jesus left it open to speculation as to the motive of the man who angered an entire family by banging incessantly on a door that was shut - meaning “do not disturb” until we get up in the morning and open the door, as is our custom. When the door is open, as it customarily was all day, welcome. But when the door was shut, it was okay to knock once, maybe twice, but if there was no answer, wait ‘til day break.
God our Father is not like the resistant householder! We are more than welcome to ask for what we really need, and to keep on asking . . . seek what is required, and to keep on seeking . . . knock even when it seems heaven’s door is shut, and to keep on knocking. Needs constantly arise. Prayer therefore must be an ongoing act of faith.
Folks: God knows what we need before we ask. But, each and every day, any time of day, all day, all night, we take it to the Lord in prayer for OUR benefit!
Praying helps US! God moves us to pray to relieve our angst and to help us not be against the answer we receive . . . God answers our prayers in keeping with what He knows is best for us - illustrated by Jesus in His analogy of a father whose gifts are given for the good of his children.
God our Father is totally the opposite of the reluctant friend in the parable. Moreover, God’s response to real needs . . . to required necessities . . . to recurring petitions goes beyond the bare minimum. He is the God of “how much more”!
If earthly fathers are good to their children, how much more your heavenly Father! After all, He has given you the best of all gifts– not the least of which is the Holy Spirit. His spiritual gifts in particular meet your spiritual needs . . . satisfy your deepest longings . . . open up so many options for abundant living. So,
Why be restless when you, a child of God, can get up in the morning, and go about your daily tasks and routines, then retire for the evening rested in mind and spirit, if not in body, simply because you have the wonderful privilege of talking to God, in Jesus’ name, without shame?
Folks: God our Father wants to bless us with the peace that surpasses all human understanding if we live the Christian life one day at a time, take the time to pray, ask God to guide us each step of the way, seek His will as our goal for the day, and knock as often as doors of opportunity to pray come our way.
“I got up this morning and rushed into the day; I had so much to accomplish I didn’t have time to pray. “Troubles just tumbled about me and heavier came each task. Why doesn’t God help me I wondered; and He answered, “You didn’t ask.”
“I tried to come into God’s presence, I used all my keys at the lock; God gently and lovingly chided, “Why child, you didn’t knock.”
“I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak, I called on the Lord for the reason; and He said, “You did not seek.”
“I woke up early this morning and I paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish that I simply had to take time to pray.”
What a wonderful gift from God – the privilege of direct access to Him at all times, in all situations, with a limitless number of times we can go to Him for help, and with no allocations as to the number of answers we can receive.
God is just as much “Our Father” as he is the Pope’s . . . a preacher’s . . . any other parishioner who believes God and believes in His Son Jesus Christ.
So, as Paul wrote while in prison: “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer your prayers of petition to God. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Amen.
