Whatever, part 4
I have lived with the puzzle of the “Ask Whatever”-prayers my entire life.
First, I’ve been told to ask God for “whatever” and that He always hears me. Okay, that sounds good.
Then I’ve been told to hang on a second because God only positively answers when we ask for “whatever” is in accordance with His will, for His glory, in love… Okay, that sounds… tiring.
This became a kind of straightjacket. My prayers became vague and diluted: “Please help all the people in Africa, please be with pastor, please save America, please help Bob, please be with the other Bob, please be with Roberta’s unspoken request…”
Eventually this led me to a kind of fatalistic, “Why Bother,” approach to prayer. “God, You know everything. Do whatever You want. Probably thanks. Amen.”
Somehow this doesn’t feel like what Jesus had in mind when He said this in John 15:16:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
And so my journey continued.
And what I have found is that what Jesus promises about praying is true—whatever we ask, in Jesus’ Name, for the bearing of abiding-fruit, God loves to give it to us.
Now, of course, when I bring my request to God, in faith, for Jesus' glory, for God’s will to be done, according to His Word, for His good pleasure… my request changes.
Jesus’ prayer before His arrest, trial, and murder, is a good case-study.
Jesus asks, “Let this cup pass from Me.” But then, considering God’s Will, Jesus prays, “Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.” And of course that prayer is answered positively.
But there’s more to this story. That’s not all Jesus prayed that evening. Jesus also prayed all of John 17. John 17 more fully embodies Jesus’ true heart as He entered into the Garden. And what does Jesus pray there? Many things, beginning with: “Father, glorify the Son that the Son may glorify You.” And that is exactly what happened, though, again, not in a manner that was expected.
Here’s what we see happen to Jesus: as He prayed according to God’s will and for God’s glory, etc., Jesus’ prayer changed and His true heart opened up.
So too I have found that my prayers change as I pray according to God’s will. But in that change, I discover my true heart.
My initial prayer, was likely affected by my greed, fear, anger, hurt, or anxiety. But those do not describe my true heart. Not anymore. Not with the Spirit of Jesus alive in me. My true heart now is… to know peace, to love well, to trust God, to grow in faith, to see Him work and be glorified.
My new prayer is changed, and it becomes more true to my heart. This changed prayer becomes the echo of the Spirit's prayer in me. (Rom 8:26)
And here’s what I’ve found: God has always answered those prayers positively. Not all of them just yet, notice. But so far so good.
And so, lastly, I’ve come to find the word “Whatever” to be freeing.
“Ask Whatever” is an invitation to listen for the Spirit’s voice and for your true heart.
Remember, Jesus says, “I chose you to go and bear enduring fruit.” That’s what He’s about! And so, “Ask whatever from the Father to help that happen!” That’s what the Father is about!
Here are the key truths:
God has prepared good for us to do, good works.
God has gifted us with gifts, blessings to give.
God has walked us through this life so far and equipped us with all that we have.
God has given us a good, loving, heart, desiring His glory and our neighbor’s good, desiring for the earth to be filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.
And so God says, What do you want to do with Me?
And we say, Lord, what can we do?
And He says, Whatever! Ask away! Pray and read and try stuff… and pray some more… and I'll lead and guide and grow. And, Beloved, I will do it. You will receive it.
God is inviting us to pray wild-and-holy prayers.
Prayers of love and glory, of righteousness and redemption, of hope and resurrection and freedom.
To pray for good news for the poor, liberty for the captives, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed, and all other such things to which He is committed and we are hungry for. (Luk 4:18, Mat 5:6)
God wants us to yoke our hearts to His heart, in prayer. So we join Him, and we see Him, as He works what He always is working, everywhere in the world, and in our lives.
Prayer:
*“Almighty and everlasting God, You are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we desire or deserve...”
**You have created us in Christ Jesus for good works, prepared by You beforehand, that we might live them out, and so You work within us, both the desiring and the doing of Your good pleasure—Father, increase our desire for good works, increase our doing of Your good pleasure, and so expand the reach of the praises You deserve…
*“...Pour upon us the abundance of Your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is ashamed, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior.” In His Name and for His glory, we pray, Amen.
(*From The Book of Common Prayer; and also, **Eph 2:10, Phil 2:13)
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