A young boy called the pastor of a church to ask him to come to his house to pray with his mother who was very ill with the flu. The pastor knew the family and was aware they attended another church down the road. So the pastor asked, “You go to Pastor Jones’ church – shouldn’t you be asking him to come pray with your mom?” The young boy replied, “Well, I thought about that, but I didn’t want to take the chance that he might catch whatever it is that Mom has.”
A 4-year-old boy was asked to give the blessing before Thanksgiving dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited– and waited. After a long silence, the little guy looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t he know that I’m lying?”
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what prayer is, how to pray, and even about how or whether God answers the prayers of those who pray in Jesus’ name. So what does God Himself have to say about the matter?
Prayer is talking with the one who made all things and who is still in control of it all. And He is listening.
Psalm 65:2 “O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come.”
Psalm 50:15 “… call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
God may not give you the answer you think is best, but He will answer in the way that is best for you.
Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”
2 Corinthians 12:8–9 “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
We can approach God confidently not on our own merit, but because we trust in Jesus. The one who accomplished our forgiveness through His life and death and resurrection is the one who gives us access to our heavenly Father.
John 16:23 “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Those who have faith in Jesus can pray with confidence that God will hear and answer the prayers that we offer that are in keeping with His will.
