Children should learn about prayer the way they discover gravitation. Both follow the same principle: what goes up must come down. As Jesus said, “Whatever you ask the Father in My name [what goes up] He will give you [must come down].” (Jn 16:23)
Gravity works according to certain fixed laws, and so does prayer, as recorded in the Bible.
Law #1. “You do not have because you do not ask.” (Jas 4:2). Could anything be more obvious? Yet today many people treat prayer as a last recourse instead of a first resource.
God is the most generous Person in the universe. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32) He loves to give!
Law #2. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (Jas 4:3) The second barrier to answered prayer is asking selfishly. God wants to maximize His blessing, and we should think like that, too. He wants us to be fountains, not sinkholes.
Law #3. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (Jas 4:8) It should go without saying that the Lord doesn’t want to be treated like our personal ATM, a kind of spiritual vending machine—put in your prayer; out pops the blessing.
As we “draw near to God,” we become more familiar with Him, understanding His ways. And we take sin more seriously. We can then begin to move in harmony with His will. That’s the meaning behind Jesus’ proviso, “ask…in My name.” His name describes His character and His mission.
He’s the Savior (the meaning of the name Jesus). Are you praying for people who need the Savior, asking the Spirit to show them their deep need? God loves to answer those prayers!
He’s the Comforter, too. Are you praying for those crushed by life’s burdens, needing to find hope in the One who said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28)?
Of course, Jesus is the supreme Giver, who gave Himself for us. Which reminds me…
We had a team of young people joining us for a week of outreach. My wife told me that morning that we had lots of provisions, but no meat. So we asked the Giver.
As I scurried about with last-minute arrangements, the phone rang. It was a young woman teaching children gardening behind the Boys and Girls Club. Would I help get a load of manure and dig it into the gardens?
It was the last thing I wanted to do. But I held the phone at arms’ length. “Lord, should I?” He gave me peace to go ahead.
After a long, hot, sweaty day, we climbed into the truck to head home. “By the way,” she said, “my fiancé is sous-chef at the university. They have food left over from an event. Would you like some?” It was barbecue chicken, pork, and beef. They filled my truck with it.
You’ve heard how Jesus turned water into wine? In our case, He turned manure into barbecue. He’s still open for business.
Article by Jabe Nicholson first published in the Commercial Dispatch, Saturday, April 21, 2023.