Just Keep Asking
While in college, I worked at a Christian camp for three summers. The camp director was a man of prayer. During the first summer, I remember him saying, “We need another nice ski boat so more kids will come to camp and then we will tell them about Jesus. We just need to get that boat.” (If you have ever priced a nice ski boat, then you know, they ain’t cheap.) The director, undeterred by the expense, started praying, “God, give us the money so we but a nice new boat and tell more kids about Jesus.” When I saw him at a winter reunion, he was still praying. The following summer he announced, “God provided.” A donor had given the camp the necessary funds. Then, the director announced again, “We need still another ski boat so we can tell more kids about Jesus.” Arriving for the third summer, I learned the camp once again received the requested funds through a generous donor. Personally, I thought two answered prayers seemed a fitting end to the director’s aspirations. I was wrong. Much to my surprise, the director upped his request to God, “We need a new building for large groups meeting. It will help us tell more kids about Jesus.” At this point, you probably know how the story unfolds. This time it took a couple of years, but just before moving to Massachusetts, my then one-year old daughter and I attended to the building’s dedication.
I learned some things about prayer from the camp director: keep asking, keep believing, and most importantly, keep praying. In thinking about this experience, I recently looked on the camp’s website (www.frontiercamp.org) and one the first images that appear are ski boats. But not surprising, the current camp director must also be a person of prayer. In the years since my last visit, there are many new amenities, but the vision remains the same: “Tell kids about Jesus.”
As a younger person, I struggled to understand prayer. Consider this verse: I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (John 14.13-14). This verse was not my experience with prayer. I asked plenty but received little. Yet, as I read this passage, Jesus says we can ask for anything and God will do it, but I also knew God is not a genie-in-a-bottle who gratifies our whims. Where is the rub? I was missing something.
With more inspection of the phrase, we notice that “you may ask for anything” and “I will do it” has an important connecting phrase, “in my name.” Us asking and God doing is not about us receiving. Our requests must be couched by “in my name.” For our requests to be granted, they must align to God’s vision, purpose, and character. Since these requests match God’s will, then we can expect God to come alongside our requests and bring them to fulfillment. If, however, we pray not according to God’s will, why would we expect our Creator to affirm those requests? God, of course, will disregard these self-serving prayers. For our prayers to be powerful, they must in the “in God’s name,” and accordingly, they must match God’s will.
Do you want your prayers to be answered? If yes, then pray into God’s will. Pray into God’s truth. Pray into God’s purpose. For example, if you prayed for increased patience, would God answer that prayer? Absolutely. That matches the will of God for you. Be cautious before making that prayer though, the answer may arrive much faster (or is it slower?) that you prefer.
While an aspect of authentic prayer includes our wants and wishes (and we know God welcomes our heartfelt concerns), powerful prayers that move our Heavenly Father into action emerge from the will of God. Next time that you bow your head, consider praying to God’s will. And let God – not you – be the primary recipient of that prayer. As Jesus instructs us, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
