When I Pray

When people ask me to pray about something, I usually ask them if they are sure they want me to pray for them, because everyone I pray for dies. They will usually laugh or say something like, "Oh no, you don't mean that." I just smile back; they don't realize I'm serious about it.

God said … "Call upon Me and I will answer." It's in the Book. But what He didn't say was His answer may not be exactly what we think it should be.

The prayer requests I have received, I believe were answered in the way God wanted them to come out. You may not believe (at this present time) that God answers all of them the way He wants, especially if you look through human emotions at the outcome of each one; for some look like failures while others are deemed to be successful. Example … if the one you might be praying for dies, that doesn't mean God's will in the matter wasn't accomplished.

That's why I am writing this paper … to state what I believe the Bible proclaims, perhaps with different words, in a different way … but the same truth; that being, God is still in control of our lives with His Providential Care. Knowing and believing that, we must accept that His ways are higher than our ways.

You may ask … "Show me some scripture." Okay, how about both … the Old and the New Testament.

Isaiah 55:8-9 … "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

1st Corinthians 2:16 … "For who has known or understood the mind and purposes of the Lord …"

We must come to understand that His purposes and thoughts, as He has shaped and drawn the image of things in His own mind; everything that is … "is" determined by the Lord; that nothing comes by chance, but everything is as it is … purposed by God; that everything comes to pass which He has resolved; therefore every solution to prayer, every answer … proceeds from Him, and is the product of His wisdom and Providence.

Each of His purposes shall be accomplished, no matter what is in the heart and mind of man concerning how we want prayer answered; it will be His will, done His way, in His time.

Getting back to "When I Pray" …

My mother taught me there is only one way to pray; and I quote … "I pray every time like I'm going to get it, and whether I do or not is up to God."

I believe that God is ultimately responsible … for everything. He made all things, and He has never lost possession or control over them. The Psalmist David states in Psalms 24:1 …"The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

As far as prayer is concerned … we are supposed to ask God, using "the measure of faith" that has been dealt to each one of us, and then leave the answer up to Him; knowing that everything God does proceeds from a heart of love.

"I pray every time like I'm going to get it"… that’s the faith part. "And whether I do or not is up to God"… that's God's part, His "will" for us.

So … what happens if we don't get the answer we are looking for when we pray?

We should have enough confidence in God to believe that all His dealings are ordered from a heart of love. What if … He takes away our possessions, and/or visits us with pain (like He did with Job), will we lose all our confidence in Him? Do we submit to all the arrangements of the government of God without a complaint only during good times … or even when natural events are sent in their place?

We breathe the air which God has made, walk upon His earth, and eat the food He provides; but if and when He takes one or all away, do we feel that He has taken only what belongs to Him … of which we have no right or claim to anyway?

Here is the truth … "The answer to prayer … is often delayed."

The delay may not be from any unwillingness on the part of God to answer it, and not by any purpose not to answer it; and not even by the mere intention of trying our faith; but … "by the necessary arrangements to bring it about."

The answer may be of such a nature that it can not be answered at once.

How many arrangements may there be in progress designed to answer our prayers of which we know nothing about. How many agents may be employed to bring about the answer? What obstacles may be in a process of removal, or what changes must be made, and what influences exerted, while we pray, fast, and weep, in the face of many discouragements, and many trials of our faith.

The duty then, which is taught, is that of patience, perseverance, faith in God, and a belief that He is true to all His promises; therefore His very own "truthfulness" will bind Him to answer … though many times the answer to our prayers seem to be long delayed and slow to come.

Although Paul wasn't teaching about prayer in Romans 9:15-16, I think the basic meaning will still apply to our subject matter. He was speaking about the character and motive behind God's actions in dealing with people. This is Paul speaking about God … "For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

There may be some men who try to "will" something through prayer; others may try to receive their answer through "running" or working, earning it; when in truth, the answer comes only through the mercy of God. He is not owing to the will or works of men, to their desires, or to their actions.

These are not the motives, conditions, or causes of answers to prayer; it is only God showing mercy in a free sovereign manner; which He is not obligated to do because of anything man wills or works. God is at full liberty to give His grace and mercy, when, where, how and to whom he pleases; and even as Paul is teaching in this scripture … God has the right to give it to some, and deny it to others; and He can never be charged with an act of injustice, since He is not bound to give it to any.

So, what conclusion then can we come to? I say … that God can dispense His blessings in answer to prayer to whomever He wants and with what terms He pleases, for God is always just and right in all His dealing with His children.

I will state very plainly a second time so there is no misunderstanding … God can and will do whatever He wants, anytime He wants … and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Whatever God does … is right. God … has never made a mistake, has never been late, can not and will not fail.

It has been stated by many men who came before us, that God … is the One who governs "all" creatures, actions and things, by His Holy Providence, according to His infallible will, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, truth and mercy.

God governs the world as He sees fit; but we cannot see the reasons of His conduct or know why He answers some prayers and not others. Are we going to accept the truth, which is …

1.) That God's ways and thoughts are higher than our ways.

2.) That "no man has a right to complain." It wouldn't do any good anyway.

I've had many opportunities in my lifetime to prove this last statement. When my daughter lost the baby she had carried for six months; even after singing praises to the Lord and reading the Word of God out loud so that the small life within her body would hear the Living Word, the Life giving words of Jesus; which apparently did no good … I complained … I even went so far as to tell God …

"You failed me."

It didn't do any good … the baby was still dead. But He understood that my words were from the pain and hurt, not really from my heart; and He forgave me.

When an eight year old boy we knew died from cancer after four years of prayer asking God to heal him; we asked "Why God?" But we didn't get an answer.

I don't ask why anymore; it doesn't do any good.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 … "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God …"

I have found out as Solomon did when he said in Ecclesiastes 9:2 … "All things come alike to all …" therefore I can't judge from the occurrences which take place in life, both good and bad; who the objects of God's love or displeasure are.

Solomon draws his conclusion from what he had seen of the character of God; "that the righteous" (may I say especially the righteous) are in the hand of God, and are in His power.

It's called, God's Providence …"guardianship and control with His foresightful care." Try as you may, you will not understand it and you cannot comprehend it; nor do we need too … you just have to accept it. We have no other choice.

I've recently had two other experiences where I must assume God answered prayer in the way He wanted, which wasn't what we were praying for.

The first one concerns a beloved brother in the church who also died from cancer. The whole church was amazed at his faith in facing either God healing him or if not, his going to be with the Lord. As he said, "It's been appointed for me to die; it's in the Book. God either heals me or I will go to be with Him. Either way I win."

After hearing of this brother's faith and his total trust in God to always do what is right according to His plan, purpose and will; someone said maybe he died because his profession of faith wasn't right since he left God with two options rather than just believing strictly for healing.

Can't someone put their trust in God and commit it totally and completely to His care … no matter what the outcome is, without having others sit in judgment because the answer didn't fit their doctrine.

Are they telling me that they always get every prayer answered in the way they want, when they want it? If they do, shouldn't they share their secret with the rest of us regular …"just scarcely saved"… normal believers? When we pray, we just ask God for His help, using the measure of faith He gave us, and then we leave it up to Him as to how and when He answers.

This last experience I am going to share is still ongoing (currently happening), as I am writing. A Christian brother and his wife needed a car to use on vacation. Their car had broken down and wasn't running … so the Lord spoke to Peggy and me separately that we were to loan our van to them to use on their trip. Everything we have is the Lord's anyway, right? No problem, so we offer it to them.

They graciously accept our offer as from the Lord; the four of us pray together for their trip, pray for safety around the van as they travel; and for God's general blessing and so forth. Before they leave from their home the next day, they pray again and even anoint the van with oil, thanking God for the use of it and His keeping power over it. Then off they go.

On the forth day of their trip, around dusk after they leave Yellowstone National Park; at the same time as they see the deer … "bam" … our van punts this very same deer over the guard rail along this mountain highway in Montana.

Thank God they were not hurt; but our van suffered the same fate as the poor deer, both were dead, going nowhere. Our dear friends are now stranded, waiting for an auto body shop, a thousand miles from home, to repair over $6,000 damage to a van that God allowed them to borrow … a van that had been entrusted to God's care and safety … as well as themselves.

Why am I telling you this "as of yet" unfinished drama? Do you remember how I started this paper? Do you remember I said … "When I pray, everyone I pray for dies." Well it almost happened again, it was that close … but it didn't happen this time. Praise the Lord.

Do Peggy and I mind that our van was wrecked? Not really. We really mean what we said; it is God's not ours; therefore if He so chooses, He can use His van as a tool to provide food for the wolves and bears of Montana to feed on.

Everything we have, including our breath, is God's; and He can take some or all of it from us, if He so chooses. I really like that thought …"If He so chooses." If we really do "trust Him" in what He brings our way, His purpose and plan for our life; which means if the answer to prayer isn't exactly what we expected … then there is still no reason to quit and give up praying. Pray, trust God, go on.

I don't understand why, what happened, happened. Was it God? Was it Satan, "the one who lies in wait?" Or was it just life that God watched come our way? He could have stopped it; but He obviously didn't.

So once again, I must conclude that all these events; especially the ones that come to us after prayer; must fit in God's plan and purpose for our lives. That plan is known only to Him and He's not talking. Again, I fall back on the teaching of Solomon when he said in …

Ecclesiastes 8 :17 … "Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it."

It is my understanding from the whole counsel of God (the Word), that "the work of God" Solomon is speaking of, is all the stuff God uses, to bring about in our lives … His purpose and His designed plan and His will for us.

I stated earlier, "I don't ask why any more." I also don't "need to know why" any more. There is no one on this planet that believes more strongly about the "Sovereignty of God" then I do "now." I totally agree with Solomon … God is still in control. If He's not … when did he lose it?

The Psalm I put on paper earlier, is still true …"The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

This covers everything; the earth (the physical planet); the fullness (everything it produces); the world (the social systems); and they (all men and creatures).

God has never relinquished His control over any of His creation; with the exception of …"the free will of man," but yet God, if He so chooses, can bend (but He never breaks) our will, to bring us to serve Him, and even then that choice is always left to us.

Concerning, "When I Pray"…

I'm still going to pray. But I'm not going to get all bent out of shape about God's answer anymore.

As I said … "I believe in the Sovereignty of God and His Providence" … His guardianship and control; total complete care that comes from a heart of love.

Even though it seems many times that prayer is just a waste of time …
Keep on praying; Keep on believing; Keep on loving God.

Babe Ruth "struck out" more times then he hit home runs. So might we … but there is always another time at bat, unless you quit the game. As you have heard, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."

Remember, we play by God's rules, not ours.