English Radio Program

22 August 2008

WHAT'S YOUR PRAYER LIST?

You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. James 4:2

For what do you pray? Wealth? Health? Enough money to meet next month's payments? Or possibly for your daily bread, enough to eat today? Often our prayers are like grocery orders placed with the Divine. We tend to do most of God's work for Him ahead of time and figure out just what we think is the solution to our needs, then ask Him for whatever we think will solve the problem.

I have been thinking about what we often pray for in relationship to some of the prayers that are recorded in the New Testament, which were often a good deal different in nature and scope from what ours are today. I am thinking in particular about Paul's prayer which is recorded in his letter to the Colossians. In all probability Paul never got to the city of Colosse , which is located in central Asia Minor about 100 miles to the east of Ephesus . But he did know something about their needs, and he knew an awful lot about prayer and the nature of prayer. After a few words of introduction Paul told them he thanked God for them every time he thought of them. This is something we do not always do for some folks.

Epaphras had come from Colosse to minister to Paul, who happened to be in house arrest at the time in the city of Rome . Here is what he wrote-- which, incidentally, is all one sentence in the Greek text. "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding...” Notice that he did not pray that they might succeed. He did not pray that they might be blessed with great wealth as a token of their profound spirituality. He did not pray that their kids would fly right. He simply asked God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding; and then from this would come a number of things:

1) They would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him by their lives. 2) They would be strengthened with his might and power so that they might be steadfast, patient and joyful. 3) They might give thanks to the Father who had delivered them from the power or domain of darkness and transferred them to the kingdom of His beloved Son "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." You can see the entire text in Colossians 1:9-14 in your New Testament; and I hope you will take a few minutes to dig it out for yourself.

What strikes me as so different about Paul's prayer is the fact that he asked that they might fit into God's plan, whereas most of us pray that God will fit into our plans. There is a big difference. Instead of thinking of God as an office boy who desires this and that for us (while we are still the center of attention, the focal point and recipient of God's help),

Have you learned that one of the reasons why our prayers go unanswered is precisely that we attempt to use God rather than ask for wisdom and spiritual understanding that He might use us, and in so doing, resolve the problems facing us? James, the half-brother of Jesus, talks about this in James 4:2. "You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God." It is the point of view that makes the difference when you pray. Think about it!

Resource reading: Colossians 1.