“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
This week we are going to look at prayer. Or, more specifically, that God always answers prayer.
Garth Brooks sings a song called, “Unanswered Prayers,” where he sings about how when he was in high school he fervently prayed that God would make his high school crush his wife. Then he goes on to sing about how he thanks God for unanswered prayers because had God answered his high school prayer he would have never met his wife.
Interesting concept. But there’s a couple of things about this song that’s off kilter.
There are two truths I want us to remember about prayer.
First, there is never a time when God does not answer prayers. God always answers our prayers. That’s God’s absolute promise, and you can take that to the bank! There are many passages in scripture that tell us that God answers prayers. Here’s one:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread will give him a stone? Or if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11).
Second, God is sovereign. God is God, and we are not.
Romans 8:28 tells us, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
This means God knows what is best for us, and only wants what is best for us. God cannot always answer our prayers the way we want them answered because sometimes the things we ask for are not good for us. Besides, if God were to answer our prayers, he would be merely be our Genie doing whatever we ask for. That would make us gods and God our servant, doing our bidding.
God is sovereign. God is God, and we are not.
For today, the thing to remember about prayer is that:
- God always answers prayers
- God is sovereign. God is God and we are not
Praxis: Faith in Action 