Dim Glass Gospel Glimpses

THE FATHER’S PURPOSE IN PRAYER

written by Rachel Dube

Have you ever been in a place in life where you were burdened with a heavy weight, crying out to God often, fervently asking Him for something so strong on your heavy heart? Maybe even asking other people to pray for you as well?

What if all the prayers do not seem to “do” anything? Have you ever questioned if you or those praying for you are not praying the right things?

When I question whether my prayers are effective, the root of my questioning is not truly my own ability to pray – whether I am praying the right thing or in the right way. Jesus himself prayed that if there could be another way, He wouldn’t have to go to the cross.

The question, “Are my prayers effective?” has much more to do with whether I trust in the ultimate goodness, faithfulness, and trustworthiness of God.

Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV) states, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Do we truly believe that God is a good Father? If He is, then what does it mean when He does not answer our prayers according to our will? As difficult as this may be to hear, Scripture reveals to us that our Father cares more about reaching, breaking, and transforming us than He does about saving us from temporary discomfort or even real pain. Look back at Jesus’ prayer before the cross:

Matthew 26:39 (NIV) says, “(Jesus) fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” He sweat drops of blood as He cried out to God, yet the Father did not rescue Him from pain. It was not God’s will to save Jesus from the horror of the cross, even though He did nothing to deserve it. Our Father cared far more about ultimately rescuing and restoring our souls than rescuing Jesus from temporary torment.

God’s purpose of rescue does not stop with winning our souls from death, but He also intends to win our lives from death!

Matthew 16:24-27 (NIV) says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’”

I do not think that Jesus was talking solely about our salvation in the passage. He said in John 10:10 (ESV), “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Jesus lived and died not solely that we may have life (the absence of death), but that we may have life to the fullest. God wants us to learn to die to ourselves. Because He is a good Father, He doesn’t always rescue us from this pain of bearing our cross, of suffering with Christ and for Christ, because He desires for this pain to lead us to life.

He brings us through “death” to produce a deeper, fuller, more abundant, and lasting life in us - to give us wisdom, freedom from the enslavement of sin and strongholds, inexplicable peace and joy amid suffering, contentment and confidence in Christ, and boldness and zeal in His calling. He brings us through suffering and the “death” of ourselves to bring us into a life of abundance.

He wants us to lay down our life and to say as Jesus did, “… not as I will, but as you will,” or in other words, “Whatever you want, Lord. Show me, and I’ll do it”. He wants us to die to ourselves and let God plant or restore abundant life in every area where it may not have existed before or where we have allowed it to wither and die.

Paul said in Galatians 5:1 (ESV), “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

When you received salvation, God broke the chains of slavery, opened the doors of the prison, and proclaimed that you are a part of His family with all the rights and privileges of His daughter. No matter what you do, you cannot lose that status, your access to the Father, or your ultimate salvation, but you can miss out on all of the blessings of living in your Father’s freedom, and you can choose to continue to experience the bondage of slavery. God’s will for us in this life is that we access all of His riches and power and authority, that we may enjoy Him and bring Him glory!

Prayers may not seem to be answered, sometimes, because He is a good Father. And if our prayers are not in line with His will or His good plan for us, then He will tell us “no” to our requests, as He did to Christ before the cross.

In the parable of the “prodigal son” in Matthew 15:11-32, for the father, it wasn’t enough for his son to have the status of sonship. He wanted him to live a life of sonship and to share in the blessings of the father!

Our heavenly Father delights in giving us good gifts and in fulfilling the requests of our prayers. His love for you is unwavering, in fact, it runs so deep that He is willing to go through the pain of allowing you, His most beloved daughter, to suffer hardships and trials so that He can give you the best gift - a deeper and more abundant, and everlasting life.

Remember His faithfulness in the past. Ask Him for trust, patience, perseverance, strength to endure, and for an extra measure of faith.

He will never leave or forsake you.