We often hear that if you don't pray “in faith” your prayers won't be answered. This even goes as far as telling parents that the reason their son/daughter is dying is because they don't have enough faith. Is this harsh teaching true? What does it mean to pray “in faith?”
For the answer, let's look at Hebrews 11, the famous “Faith Hall of Fame.” This is a list of people in the Old Testament who lived by faith, to show how God approves of such people. What kind of faith did they have? The first verse says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Many people would call this a blind faith; it cannot see God, but believes he's there anyway.
But this chapter doesn't just talk about things unseen. “All of these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (11:13). They saw the promises “from a distance,” and lived their whole lives in accordance. Abraham, promised descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5), lived in faith that he would receive that promise. He saw it in the distance, even though he never saw it in his life.
Faith isn't blind; it's far-sighted. Faith may not be able to see how the promise will fulfilled, but it can see the end, and knows that it will be. Abraham had no idea how God would be able to give him so many descendants—but he knew he would.
And so when we pray, we need to know what God's promises are. God doesn't promise to heal every sickness we experience on earth; but he does promise his people that some day “he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or morning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). He doesn't promise that our lives will be free from evil, but he does promise that Satan no longer has power over us (James 4:7). He doesn't promise that we will be rich, but he does promise that he knows our every need and that he loves to “give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11).
Knowing God's promises is essential to praying in faith. We're not to blindly believe something. We're to firmly believe in what we see off in the distance, even though we don't know how it will come. Faith seems blind because it refuses to see the present circumstances; even though things are bad now, it says, someday all things will be new. Faith is the opposite of despair.
Faith-filled prayer is rooted in the character and nature of the one we pray to. We only need faith enough to know that he will act the way he has always acted; that he is good, and that no matter what the present circumstances seem like, he will come through. Faith says “thus far, he has been faithful” and trusts that he will continue to do so.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 8: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
The last words of this prayer address our spiritual needs. We have begged for God's name to be made holy, for his kingdom to reign, for his will to be done, and we have pledged to be a part of making “on earth as it is in heaven” a reality. We have confessed a struggle with greed by asking for just enough, and we have recognized our need to give and receive forgiveness. Before we get off our knees and live out all that we have said, we seek protection from the temptation not to do any of it.
Of course, we know that God won't lead us into temptation (see James 1:13-14), and this petition isn't suggesting anything of the sort. Instead, we can think of it as asking God to lead us in the opposite direction from temptation. It's like saying, “Lord, don't even let me go near it.” Sometimes, we want to know exactly where the line is just to get as close as we can without crossing it. We say things like “well, it wasn't technically a lie,” or “I'm just spending time with him as a friend. I'm not cheating on my husband.” Instead, we should pray not to go down that path.
Finally, notice that Jesus says “deliver us from the evil one” and not, “from evil.”* When Jesus teaches us this prayer, it is clear that he does not intend for us to expect God to always protect us from every bad thing in life. Sometimes God knows that we need these experiences to grow as Christians and be drawn nearer to him. But God does save us from the power of Satan and his temptations. Paul explains the promise that “when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). God does not spare us from all evil, but does guard us against specific attacks from Satan. He is there for us in evil times, and that is a comforting thought! Our response to this petition is trust in the faithful Father who is stronger than our enemy. We can turn away from all fear and anxiety because of his care (1 Peter 5:7). The prayer ends on this note, so that as we leave the serenity of prayer and face the world again, we know that the Father goes with us.
*Note: Some translations (such as the KJV and ESV) actually do translate this “from evil” but because the Greek adjective “evil” is preceded by a definite article, it should be read as “evil one.”
Of course, we know that God won't lead us into temptation (see James 1:13-14), and this petition isn't suggesting anything of the sort. Instead, we can think of it as asking God to lead us in the opposite direction from temptation. It's like saying, “Lord, don't even let me go near it.” Sometimes, we want to know exactly where the line is just to get as close as we can without crossing it. We say things like “well, it wasn't technically a lie,” or “I'm just spending time with him as a friend. I'm not cheating on my husband.” Instead, we should pray not to go down that path.
Finally, notice that Jesus says “deliver us from the evil one” and not, “from evil.”* When Jesus teaches us this prayer, it is clear that he does not intend for us to expect God to always protect us from every bad thing in life. Sometimes God knows that we need these experiences to grow as Christians and be drawn nearer to him. But God does save us from the power of Satan and his temptations. Paul explains the promise that “when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). God does not spare us from all evil, but does guard us against specific attacks from Satan. He is there for us in evil times, and that is a comforting thought! Our response to this petition is trust in the faithful Father who is stronger than our enemy. We can turn away from all fear and anxiety because of his care (1 Peter 5:7). The prayer ends on this note, so that as we leave the serenity of prayer and face the world again, we know that the Father goes with us.
*Note: Some translations (such as the KJV and ESV) actually do translate this “from evil” but because the Greek adjective “evil” is preceded by a definite article, it should be read as “evil one.”
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 7: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”
Forgiveness is tough for many people. The struggle comes in forgiving truly mean people, who do not and probably will never want to repent. Yet others seem unable to accept forgiveness from God because they cannot forgive themselves. I don't know why we face these challenges, but I do know that the root of the problem has more to do with our theology than anything else. If we could truly understand that God is our loving, merciful Father, who reigns with holiness in heaven, forgiveness might come more naturally to us.
Jesus explicitly connects forgiving others to receiving forgiveness immediately after this prayer: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 5:14-15). That might make us tempted to think that by forgiving others we earn the “right” to be forgiven, but we know from elsewhere in Scripture that this is not the case. I think we should refer to one of Jesus's parables to help us understand his meaning here:
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:21-35).
It's clear from this parable that the servant didn't earn forgiveness by forgiving someone else; the king canceled his debt as soon as he begged for mercy. God waits for the slightest hint of repentance because he loves to extend grace to his children. But he will not tolerate this two-faced attitude of begging for mercy and then refusing to extend it to others.
Often, we have the wrong perspective when we ask forgiveness; we tend to be very focused on “being sorry” for our sin. This, of course, is healthy and appropriate. But Jesus does not say, “if you're very sorry, then your Father will forgive you.” It seems that God is less concerned about how we feel than he is about how we will act on the mercy we have received. God longs to show mercy to his children in part because he wants to see them show mercy to others. We accept forgiveness not because we deserve it, but because it enables us to be compassionate. We forgive others not because they deserve it, but so that they too can know the Father's great love.
Jesus explicitly connects forgiving others to receiving forgiveness immediately after this prayer: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 5:14-15). That might make us tempted to think that by forgiving others we earn the “right” to be forgiven, but we know from elsewhere in Scripture that this is not the case. I think we should refer to one of Jesus's parables to help us understand his meaning here:
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:21-35).
It's clear from this parable that the servant didn't earn forgiveness by forgiving someone else; the king canceled his debt as soon as he begged for mercy. God waits for the slightest hint of repentance because he loves to extend grace to his children. But he will not tolerate this two-faced attitude of begging for mercy and then refusing to extend it to others.
Often, we have the wrong perspective when we ask forgiveness; we tend to be very focused on “being sorry” for our sin. This, of course, is healthy and appropriate. But Jesus does not say, “if you're very sorry, then your Father will forgive you.” It seems that God is less concerned about how we feel than he is about how we will act on the mercy we have received. God longs to show mercy to his children in part because he wants to see them show mercy to others. We accept forgiveness not because we deserve it, but because it enables us to be compassionate. We forgive others not because they deserve it, but so that they too can know the Father's great love.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 6: “Give us today our daily bread”
The first three petitions have shaped our priorities: not our name, but his is holy; not our kingdom, but his should come; not our will, but his be done. Once we are firmly in this mindset, we can come before the Father with our needs. Much, much too often we reverse the order that Jesus gives. We come to the Father like spoiled, whiny children asking for what we want. I don't think Jesus ordered these petitions the way he did just to give respect to God first, but I think he wants us to approach God in the right attitude. We've gone through a journey of submission: whatever we wanted when we first came to pray has now been subjected to his name, his kingdom and his will. Sometimes, this mindset will make us realize how petty our desires are. But then again, we may also realize just how much we need.
Three types needs are addressed in the second half of the prayer: physical, relational and spiritual. Together, these make up what it is to be human, and we shouldn't think that one is more important than the others.
Jesus starts with our physical needs: daily bread. In a Sam's Club culture, we hardly ever mean this when we pray it. While many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, most of us don't live day to day. We can stock up food for months, and even when supplies run a little low, there's always delivery pizza. Certainly part of this prayer is recognizing God as the source of the things we have and of our ability to work, but I want to point out two things that show something deeper going on.
First, it's interesting to note that we're told to pray for bread and not for cake. As our Father, God will provide for our needs but he will not spoil us. The meaning of “daily bread” is difficult for some people. There's an insight from Proverbs that will help us: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (30:8-9). Neither poverty nor riches. We trust God completely to give us exactly what we need; no more, no less.
Along with that, notice what pronouns Jesus uses: “give us today our daily bread.” When I thank God that my pantry is full, can I neglect my brothers and sisters who have nothing? The plural pronouns teach us to pray not only for ourselves, but for others. Here again we see how this prayer will not allow us to be inactive. Even as we trust God to meet our needs, we make ourselves available to meet the needs of others. Greed is not an option here.
Three types needs are addressed in the second half of the prayer: physical, relational and spiritual. Together, these make up what it is to be human, and we shouldn't think that one is more important than the others.
Jesus starts with our physical needs: daily bread. In a Sam's Club culture, we hardly ever mean this when we pray it. While many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, most of us don't live day to day. We can stock up food for months, and even when supplies run a little low, there's always delivery pizza. Certainly part of this prayer is recognizing God as the source of the things we have and of our ability to work, but I want to point out two things that show something deeper going on.
First, it's interesting to note that we're told to pray for bread and not for cake. As our Father, God will provide for our needs but he will not spoil us. The meaning of “daily bread” is difficult for some people. There's an insight from Proverbs that will help us: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (30:8-9). Neither poverty nor riches. We trust God completely to give us exactly what we need; no more, no less.
Along with that, notice what pronouns Jesus uses: “give us today our daily bread.” When I thank God that my pantry is full, can I neglect my brothers and sisters who have nothing? The plural pronouns teach us to pray not only for ourselves, but for others. Here again we see how this prayer will not allow us to be inactive. Even as we trust God to meet our needs, we make ourselves available to meet the needs of others. Greed is not an option here.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 5: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
When we hear, “not my will, but yours be done,” our minds usually go to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father,” Jesus prayed, “If you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This is submission at its finest. Jesus knew that what he wanted was different from what the Father wanted, and so he chose to submit his will to the Father's.
With Jesus as our model, we might suddenly feel uncomfortable with this petition. Can we honestly pray, “your will be done,” even if God's will for us involves suffering and even death?This is hard, to be sure. But it's important to see that this petition isn't fatalistic or just resigning yourself to your fate. This petition gives us strength. Jesus chose the cross when he chose to say “not my will, but yours.” When we pray the third petition, we are volunteering to go wherever, do whatever, and endure whatever God may have in mind for us. He doesn't force his will upon us, but invites us to be part of it. He is still our Father—his will is firmly grounded in his love. If we trust him as Father, we will also trust him to lead us through the valleys of the spiritual life.
Submitting to God means being a “living sacrifice” as mentioned in Romans 12: “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God...do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (v. 1-2). When we submit to God but refusing the world, we are able to know his will. The concept of a “living sacrifice” wouldn't have made much sense to Paul's audience at first. When an animal is sacrificed, it is always killed—that's what makes it a sacrifice. But we're not called to lay down our lives just once to God's will; we do it continuously, every day. A popular concept in Christian culture is that we want Jesus to “take the wheel” of our lives. But I don't think that is really the biblical picture of “Your will be done.” A better image, to continue the car metaphor, is that Jesus sits in the passenger seat, giving directions, asking us to trust him. At every turn, we make a choice whether or not we will obey.
Sometimes I wish Jesus would just take the wheel. I know all too well my sinful, disobedient tendencies. I'd rather not have to throw myself on the altar day after day. But my Father is teaching me, and I won't learn if he does everything for me. And so, daily, I must pray “your will be done,” take up my cross, and follow him.
With Jesus as our model, we might suddenly feel uncomfortable with this petition. Can we honestly pray, “your will be done,” even if God's will for us involves suffering and even death?This is hard, to be sure. But it's important to see that this petition isn't fatalistic or just resigning yourself to your fate. This petition gives us strength. Jesus chose the cross when he chose to say “not my will, but yours.” When we pray the third petition, we are volunteering to go wherever, do whatever, and endure whatever God may have in mind for us. He doesn't force his will upon us, but invites us to be part of it. He is still our Father—his will is firmly grounded in his love. If we trust him as Father, we will also trust him to lead us through the valleys of the spiritual life.
Submitting to God means being a “living sacrifice” as mentioned in Romans 12: “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God...do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (v. 1-2). When we submit to God but refusing the world, we are able to know his will. The concept of a “living sacrifice” wouldn't have made much sense to Paul's audience at first. When an animal is sacrificed, it is always killed—that's what makes it a sacrifice. But we're not called to lay down our lives just once to God's will; we do it continuously, every day. A popular concept in Christian culture is that we want Jesus to “take the wheel” of our lives. But I don't think that is really the biblical picture of “Your will be done.” A better image, to continue the car metaphor, is that Jesus sits in the passenger seat, giving directions, asking us to trust him. At every turn, we make a choice whether or not we will obey.
Sometimes I wish Jesus would just take the wheel. I know all too well my sinful, disobedient tendencies. I'd rather not have to throw myself on the altar day after day. But my Father is teaching me, and I won't learn if he does everything for me. And so, daily, I must pray “your will be done,” take up my cross, and follow him.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 4: “Your Kingdom come”
The concept of kingdom is a bit difficult for Americans. We like our democracy, thank you very much. We'll have none of this “king” business. Yet Jesus talked a lot about the kingdom, and he is the king. And the second petition stems from the first: if God's name is truly holy, it follows that he should rule. Hence we pray, “your kingdom come.” Like the first, this one is a command: “your kingdom must come!” Even though it's directed at God, it's easy to see how this could shape the one who prays it. Not my kingdom, but yours; not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one.
The trouble with Jesus's kingdom is that it's here, but it isn't. He went to Israel and preached, “repent, for the kingdom is near” (Matthew 4:17). Yet after his resurrection, his disciples had to ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?” (Acts 1:6). I like to think of it as the already-but-not-yet kingdom. Yes, Christ is already King, but no, the kingdom of this world has not yet been defeated. This gets at the heart of the second petition. We see evil in the world every day and we long for Good to win out. And so we pray, “your kingdom come.”
Just like with the first petition, the answer to this prayer begins with the one who prays it. The true disciple prays “your kingdom come” and then goes out in the world proclaiming that kingdom. Many Christians seem to believe that our primary goal on Earth is to wait for Jesus to come back and take us to heaven. But if the kingdom is already here, and yet not fulfilled, our purpose becomes so much more than that. We can, and should, live like Christ has already conquered the earth, striving to be more like who he created us to be. The fulfillment of the kingdom will happen when it is back to the way God intended it to be, and that includes his people and the rest of creation. Romans 8:19 says that “creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” That is, when God’s people are who he made them to be, creation itself will be “liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21)—freed from death. In Revelation, God promises he will make everything new (21:5). Understanding what the kingdom means is essential to understanding this petition. We want his kingdom to reign now, and we act on this by taking the gospel to the world.
In the same way, this petition is also a prayer for the final fulfillment of the kingdom. We echo Revelation: “Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20). If we stop and think about this petition, it may be difficult to pray. Do we really desire the return of Christ? Often we're tempted to be content with a mediocre middle-class American life, with comfortable houses and comfortable churches. Too comfortable to have compassion on the broken, we unknowingly say to Jesus, “That's okay, no need to come yet. We're doing just fine.” This prayer, prayed right, will not allow it. Desperately we cry, “your kingdom come! Come soon!” True disciples recognize the depth of their need for the Father's power. May he not find us unprepared. Instead, may he find us spreading his kingdom.
The trouble with Jesus's kingdom is that it's here, but it isn't. He went to Israel and preached, “repent, for the kingdom is near” (Matthew 4:17). Yet after his resurrection, his disciples had to ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?” (Acts 1:6). I like to think of it as the already-but-not-yet kingdom. Yes, Christ is already King, but no, the kingdom of this world has not yet been defeated. This gets at the heart of the second petition. We see evil in the world every day and we long for Good to win out. And so we pray, “your kingdom come.”
Just like with the first petition, the answer to this prayer begins with the one who prays it. The true disciple prays “your kingdom come” and then goes out in the world proclaiming that kingdom. Many Christians seem to believe that our primary goal on Earth is to wait for Jesus to come back and take us to heaven. But if the kingdom is already here, and yet not fulfilled, our purpose becomes so much more than that. We can, and should, live like Christ has already conquered the earth, striving to be more like who he created us to be. The fulfillment of the kingdom will happen when it is back to the way God intended it to be, and that includes his people and the rest of creation. Romans 8:19 says that “creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” That is, when God’s people are who he made them to be, creation itself will be “liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21)—freed from death. In Revelation, God promises he will make everything new (21:5). Understanding what the kingdom means is essential to understanding this petition. We want his kingdom to reign now, and we act on this by taking the gospel to the world.
In the same way, this petition is also a prayer for the final fulfillment of the kingdom. We echo Revelation: “Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20). If we stop and think about this petition, it may be difficult to pray. Do we really desire the return of Christ? Often we're tempted to be content with a mediocre middle-class American life, with comfortable houses and comfortable churches. Too comfortable to have compassion on the broken, we unknowingly say to Jesus, “That's okay, no need to come yet. We're doing just fine.” This prayer, prayed right, will not allow it. Desperately we cry, “your kingdom come! Come soon!” True disciples recognize the depth of their need for the Father's power. May he not find us unprepared. Instead, may he find us spreading his kingdom.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer, Part 3: “Hallowed be your name”
There are six petitions in the Lord's Prayer. The first three are directed at God; his name, his will and his kingdom. The second three are about us; our food, our forgiveness, and our protection from evil. Just like the address, these seem simple, but actually have a lot to say to us. Jesus uses these petitions to teach us about God, but he also wants us to see what God expects of us.
The first petition is a command that really doesn't make sense at first. “Hallowed be thy name,” is how most people know it, but it could actually be translated “Your name must be holy!” or “Make your name holy!” It seems strange to command God to make his own name holy. We are the ones who need reminders to be holy, not God. But something else is going on here. This is a prayer that God's name would be treated as holy, not just in the sense that people wouldn't say things like “Oh my God” when they don't mean it. In the Bible, a person's name was connected to their character. God promised to put his “Name” in the temple that Solomon built, meaning that his presence would be there. If God's name is treated as holy, he will be given proper respect.
With this meaning in mind, it becomes clear that this isn't something you can just pray and not do anything about. How could we pray “make your name holy,” and then walk away to an unholy life? If we mean this petition, it will change how we live, especially when we recognize that as Christians, our lives bear God's name. In this sense, we begin to answer our own prayer.
The first petition is a command that really doesn't make sense at first. “Hallowed be thy name,” is how most people know it, but it could actually be translated “Your name must be holy!” or “Make your name holy!” It seems strange to command God to make his own name holy. We are the ones who need reminders to be holy, not God. But something else is going on here. This is a prayer that God's name would be treated as holy, not just in the sense that people wouldn't say things like “Oh my God” when they don't mean it. In the Bible, a person's name was connected to their character. God promised to put his “Name” in the temple that Solomon built, meaning that his presence would be there. If God's name is treated as holy, he will be given proper respect.
With this meaning in mind, it becomes clear that this isn't something you can just pray and not do anything about. How could we pray “make your name holy,” and then walk away to an unholy life? If we mean this petition, it will change how we live, especially when we recognize that as Christians, our lives bear God's name. In this sense, we begin to answer our own prayer.
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