Some well-meaning people appeal for prayer like this: if we get enough people we can gang up on God and, if we get enough people (the more the better), He will just have to do whatever we tell (ask) Him to do.
But, such is not what prayer is. Prayer is not demanding, forcing or in some way imposing our wills on God, as if we know better than God. Rather it is yielding to His will for us. We ask Him for this or that but always conclude with - "Father, this is my desire, but I know you know all things and, You having the overview, I know You know best. So, Thy will be done." It is inviting Him to prevail in our lives. He always has our best in view.
Jesus taught us to 'give way' to God, teaching us to pray, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This surely means in a world-wide sense but also intimately, in me, that is in my body made of the dust of the earth. "Have Thine own way Lord, have Thine own way." So, we sing the hymn. God's way is the best way, even when we have intense desires.
The Father willed hardship, suffering and death for His Son. Jesus learned obedience (in the practical sense) through suffering, so God's Word declares (Hebrew. 5:6). Similarly, God works in our lives. He is more interested in our holiness than our happiness, in our faith than in our fun. He tries our hearts to teach us true faith. We often ask Him to change our circumstances forgetting that He is using our circumstances to change us!
Nevertheless, along with such testings, joy bells may keep ringing. "Rejoice evermore." We can smile through the storms of life knowing that what He allows is 'just right' and for our ultimate good and His glory (man's chief end). And, a person of deep faith does so even when the death chimes begin to sound. Joy bells may ring even when the death chimes begin. Our hope is bright. Whether by death or life, in good times and tough times, we must pray for His designs to be accomplished in and through us for His glory and our good, even when at our expense. Prayer is not so much, "Lord, make this person trouble free" but rather "Lord, help this person (comfort him, help him, heal him, if You will, because surely you can) but above all let Him trust your holy purposes through it all." The all-knowing Father does all things well and perfectly so. And so, we trust Him implicitly.
- Dick Christen
The Father willed hardship, suffering and death for His Son. Jesus learned obedience (in the practical sense) through suffering, so God's Word declares (Hebrew. 5:6). Similarly, God works in our lives. He is more interested in our holiness than our happiness, in our faith than in our fun. He tries our hearts to teach us true faith. We often ask Him to change our circumstances forgetting that He is using our circumstances to change us!
Nevertheless, along with such testings, joy bells may keep ringing. "Rejoice evermore." We can smile through the storms of life knowing that what He allows is 'just right' and for our ultimate good and His glory (man's chief end). And, a person of deep faith does so even when the death chimes begin to sound. Joy bells may ring even when the death chimes begin. Our hope is bright. Whether by death or life, in good times and tough times, we must pray for His designs to be accomplished in and through us for His glory and our good, even when at our expense. Prayer is not so much, "Lord, make this person trouble free" but rather "Lord, help this person (comfort him, help him, heal him, if You will, because surely you can) but above all let Him trust your holy purposes through it all." The all-knowing Father does all things well and perfectly so. And so, we trust Him implicitly.
- Dick Christen
