I was listening to a sermon on the radio and they were talking about prayer. It was on how to pray, since sometimes we use prayer as a phone in request line to God. They discussed that while we are encouraged to ask for things, there is a caveat. The pastor referenced the common line from John, “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) In the reference, he explained that we need to abide in or stay close to God. When we do this, our priorities change, so what we ask for usually changes.
Perhaps someone on the surface of their relationship reads this like most, myself included, and thinks…”Cool! I’ll just ask God for more money, a beautiful perfect spouse, a new job, a better car…” We think of worldly things, which doesn’t align with God. Jesus invites us to be close to Him and His heart, thinking of what is really important. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2) We may also be tempted to think of ourselves, praying for ourselves and what we want or think we need. We are invited to pray for others. Although, even then, sometimes prayers are not answered in the manner we think they should.
The pastor went on to use a phrase describing outcomes of prayer. It can be No, Slow, Grow or Go. The first and last are intuitive; no means the prayer isn’t right, while the last means the prayer is right. The first is maybe too self-centered, materialistic, or will lead to a shallowing of our relationship with God. Go means yes, you got it! That thing is something that is above and will deepen your relationship with God. Slow is the prayer is right but the timing isn’t. We want it now but now is not what God has in mind. Grow means the prayer is right but we’re not. We aren’t quite ready for the thing we are asking for. We need to be molded, pruned, matured, enough to receive what God has in mind.
This can all be frustrating, thinking it is simple to ask and receive, which is also quoted in Scripture. However, as God’s creation, we play by his rules. His rule IS simple; keep your eyes and mind fixed on me, staying close to me, and I will take care of you.
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