"Answered" Prayer (Bulletin Article for January 14)

After communists took control of the Soviet Union, they attempted to take any belief in God away. One of the methods used was done in schools. Teachers were told to have students come to the front of the room, kneel, close their eyes and pray to God for a piece of candy. When the children opened their eyes, of course, there was no candy there. They were then told that there was no God because he didn’t “answer” their prayers. Then the small children were told to pray to Lenin for a piece of candy. As you guessed, when their little eyes opened, there was a piece of candy there (adapted from The Lord’s Prayer, page 8).

Sadly, many Christians use similar terminology. For example, we pray to God for healing from a disease or a new job to provide income for our family. When those requests are granted, we then say, “My prayer was answered.”

What is the logical conclusion? If we had not gotten well or had not been given a job, did God not answer our prayer?

Why is it that we think this way? Is it selfishness? When we get exactly what we ask for, prayer works. When, however, we are not granted our requests, somehow God is not listening. Is that how prayer works?

We need to be reminded of the words of David. Peter quoted the 34th psalm when he wrote, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer” (First Peter 3:12, emphasis added). If we are living a holy life, God hears every prayer we utter.

So why are some things not granted when we ask? There are multiple answers to that question, but notice just one.

It may be that we ask for things out of selfish motives. The New American Standard Bible translates James 4:3 this way: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” The word translated “with wrong motives” literally means “improperly” or “wrongly.” We need to be sure that we are seeking the best of all involved when we pray for certain things.

Children often pray for worldly things, like new toys for birthday presents. We allow them to do this because they are learning the concept of prayer. Sadly, though, many adults have never really gotten past this “stage” of development when it comes to prayer. We see God as nothing more than a “yes-man” Who is supposed to give us whatever we ask.

Instead, we need always to pray that God’s will be done. God has promised to listen, and Jesus taught that we can cause the Great Judge to allow certain things to happen if we will pray constantly (read Luke 18:1-8 again).

Let’s make sure that our prayers are uttered for the right reasons and that we are asking for things that are a part of God’s will. If we are living righteously, God will answer our prayers. God answers every prayer. We just need to remember that, sometimes, He says, “No.”