What is your understanding about prayer? Some see it as nothing more than asking God for what they want. They ask and God gives. It’s as simple as that. If and when God doesn’t respond, they give up on prayer. “It doesn’t work,” they say, “so what’s the use in praying?”
To Jesus the meaning of prayer was not that God would give him whatever he asked. This is evident from the prayer which he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Removing himself from the disciples, with a soul sorrowful, even to death. Jesus fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39).
Needless to say, the cup of suffering was not removed. It couldn’t be if God were to accomplish his plan. And in every circumstance, Jesus wanted God’s will to be done. The petition for his own welfare was superseded by his overriding concern to do what God wanted him to do.
Prayer, we think, is a way of getting God to do our will. Jesus saw it differently. He poured out his concerns, but accepted the will of God. Nor did Jesus complain that God didn’t hear his petition, or that God didn’t care.
Selfishness, rather than submission, is often a hallmark of our praying. That’s why, as Cleon Lyles used to say, “Our prayers don’t have any suction.” James reminds us, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:3).
The searching condition put on all our prayers is that they must be in Christ’s name (John 14:13, 14). All prayers uttered in accordance with divine will are answered. Remember that the words, “Ask, and it will be given you” (Matt. 7:7), follow the verse which says, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
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