Nonconformist Chronicles

Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 9)

Persistence in Prayer

Have you ever had to keep on someone until you felt as if you were nagging them? Maybe you kept calling the contractor until he finally showed up at your house. Maybe you stayed on the child until he finished his homework. Or like me, maybe you kept nagging until your marriage proposal was finally accepted. Persistence is the only way to motivate some people.

Is there a difference between persistence and nagging? Will nagging God persuade him to act?

Jesus told two parables to encourage persistence in prayer. He told of a friend who knocks on a neighbor's door at midnight (Luke 11:5-13). The friend wants to borrow bread because he has nothing to offer a traveler who has stopped to visit. The neighbor is not compliant at first because it's midnight and the kids are in bed. But because of his friend's persistence, the neighbor gets up and relents.

So Jesus says that we are to keep knocking at God's door with our requests. We are to ask, seek, and knock without giving up. But in contrast to a neighbor who gives begrudgingly, God is the loving parent who gives good gifts to his children.   

The second parable tells of a persistent widow who takes her case to an unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8). She begs, "Grant me justice against my adversary." The judge ignores her for some time. He neither fears God nor cares about people. He is motivated by neither faith, nor compassion, but by bribery. Yet because the widow keeps bothering him, he finally gives in and rules in her favor.

Jesus gave the point of this parable when it was introduced. It was to show disciples that they should pray and never give up (verse 1). So how does the parable accomplish this? Is it a comparison or a contrast?

Is God being compared to the unjust judge who is stubborn and slow to listen? Do we have to keep nagging God until we finally wear him down?

Or is God being contrasted with the unjust judge? If a dishonest judge would yield to the persistence of a widow, our compassionate God is certainly more responsive to us.

So the point may be that God doesn't have to be nagged. Will God keep putting off those persecuted disciples who cry out to him for justice? The answer to that rhetorical question is "certainly not!" God will dispense justice "quickly" (verses 7-8). So God is not like the unjust judge.

Does justice really come quickly to those who cry out in prayer? What about the generations of slaves, minorities, or persecuted Christ-followers who died while praying for justice? Some commentators suggest that perhaps the word "quickly" does not mean quickly in the sense of "immediately," but more in terms of "suddenly;" i.e. when the Son of Man comes, justice will be swift. There will be no filing of motions  and no appeals court. Justice will be served quickly. So "quickly" may not always mean a quick response to prayer, but swift justice at the Son of Man's coming.

But how persistent are we to be in prayer? Jesus taught disciples to pray and never give up. Should we keep asking for the same thing over a period of months or even years? I think sometimes this is necessary. We hear stories of how years of praying has led to major breakthroughs. I can testify to this in my own life. So keep praying. 

The point of this parable is to keep praying--not to wear God down, but to keep the faith by staying in relationship with him. When the Son of Man comes will he find faith on the earth? (verse 8). Will he find a people who have kept the faith as they cry out to him in prayer?

Can God be Persuaded to Act? (Part 8)

There aren't any magical formulas by which we can obligate God to act. There are no guarantees that he will always do what we want. Prayer is not a matter of cracking the code or solving the equation. For reasons beyond our comprehension, God's answer might sometimes be "no."

Yet is there anything we can do which might persuade God to act? It might be encouraging to consider some biblical passages in which faith was demonstrated and God was persuaded. How might God be persuaded? 

1. Prayer and Fasting. The purposes of fasting are multi-faceted, but I'm going to explore just one aspect here. I think of fasting as a way of getting God's attention. It's like saying, "Hey, Father. I'm serious about this!" Fasting is not a hunger strike to manipulate God, but a demonstration of our faith in him. If I'm willing to go hungry, this physical act is evidence that I truly believe. Why inconvenience myself unless I'm sure God exists and that he is able to act? Fasting puts belief into action.

The church fasted prior to the commissioning of Evangelists and the appointment of Elders (Acts 13:2-3; Acts 14:23). Perhaps the church was petitioning God for guidance in the choosing of leadership.

It's appropriate to fast when faced with major life decisions or transitions. The point may not be to get exactly what we want, but a means of discerning God's will. He will act as he providentially guides us.

2.Prayer in Numbers. Is there strength in numbers in regard to prayer? It's while the church was worshiping and fasting that the Holy Spirit set aside Barnabas and Saul for the mission to Gentiles. Elders were appointed as the church corporately prayed and fasted. Sincere congregational fasts will persuade God to act, at least in terms of revealing his will.

The strength of prayer in numbers can be seen in Peter's release from prison (Acts 12:1-19). The church was earnestly praying to God for him which resulted in his miraculous escape. Even today, we've heard stories of justice dispensed, innocent prisoners released, and sick people healed as a result of disciples praying corporately. God has been persuaded to do what seemed impossible. Around-the-clock prayer vigils and congregational prayer meetings are effective. So is there strength in numbers?

3. Repentance. It's possible that sin might be hindering our prayers. James 5:16-18 says,

...confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you might be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest (NRSV).

Notice that the prayer of the righteous (i.e., the person who does what is right) is powerful and effective. It may be that God is waiting to act until we repent. If there is an addiction, a character flaw, or an immaturity issue that you need to work on, God might be waiting to see some progress before he acts in your favor. That doesn't mean you'll have to be perfect for him to act. But you at least need to be moving in the right direction.

More later.

Can God be Persuaded to Act? (Part 7)

We've established that prayer is not all about me. My first concern should not be what I want, but what God wants. The priority in prayer should be the kingdom of God.

Solomon recognized this priority. In his day, the nation of Israel was called to manifest God's kingdom to the nations. Solomon knew that his kingdom was really God's kingdom.

Solomon was humbled by the monumental task of ruling this great people. So he prayed, I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties (1 Kings 3:7). The king continued his prayer, making the following petition: So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9-10).

The Lord was pleased that Solomon asked for this and not for long life, or wealth for himself, or for the death of his enemies. So God was persuaded to act. He granted Solomon's request for a wise and discerning heart. But he also granted Solomon riches, honor, and power. Moreover, God promised that for Solomon's obedience he would be granted long life. The king had not asked for these things( 1 Kings 3:11-14).

It impressed God that Solomon did not pray for health (long life) or prosperity (wealth)---the very things religious hucksters on TV encourage viewers to pray for. Nor did Solomon pray for the death of his enemies---perhaps a tempting prospect for a nation at war.

Since Solomon's priority was kingdom business, the Lord not only gave him wisdom, but also riches and honor. This isn't to say that we can manipulate God, as if to think that kingdom service is a pathway to wealth and power. God sees through prayers with ulterior motives. But if, with sincere hearts, we put God's kingdom first, might he surprise us with some special blessings? Jesus did say that if we seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness that the blessings of physical necessities will be added to us (Matthew 6:25-34).

So when you pray, do you pray as if it's all about you? Or do you pray with a view toward God's interests and his kingdom goals? Do you pray for God to make you rich or to make you more righteous? Do you pray for death to your enemies or death to selfishness? Do you pray for God to make you healthy or humble? 

Now I'm not saying it's wrong to pray for what you feel is in your best interests or in the best interests of your family. But every prayer should be uttered with a resignation to whatever outcome will advance the kingdom. It's all about God.         

Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 6)

A Christian couple prays for a child. Years go by until a hysterectomy puts an end to their dreams. A young mother prays for the healing of her leukemia stricken little girl. The child dies. A man prays many years for a new job in his field and is finally forced to change careers.

These are not hypothetical situations. Many of us know real people whose lives fit these scenarios. Why didn't God say "yes" to their prayers? To conclude that these believers simply lacked faith is both cruel and judgmental.

People of faith don't always get what they want. The Apostle Paul is a good example. He prayed repeatedly for the removal of his thorn in the flesh which was likely a physical ailment. God chose not to grant this request. In Paul's case he gave a reason (2 Cor. 12:7-10).  We aren't always so enlightened. Our limited human perspective may fail to discern any good reason for our sufferings.

Could suffering ever be the will of God? What good purpose might it serve? In Philip Yancey's latest book, Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference?, he ponders the "butterfly effect." He writes: 

Scientists insist that measuring the spin of any particle may affect the spin of another particle billions of miles away. Some even suggest, in a theory called "the butterfly effect" that the flapping of a single insect's wings may contribute to the great causal chain that eventuates in a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or a tornado in Texas. Who can say with confidence what causes any single event...? (p. 138).

I'm not saying that I totally buy into the butterfly effect. Nor am I assuming that Yancey does. I think Yancey's point was that no one can claim to have cause and effect all figured out (although Job's friends thought they did). My point is that so much in this world is interconnected in ways we cannnot fathom. A single event creates a chain reaction influencing other events. So what does this have to do with suffering?

I'm merely suggesting that at times even physical suffering may serve a higher purpose, triggering a chain reaction that is consistent with God's sovereign plan. I know this doesn't help much when you're in the midst of suffering and I'm not even suggesting that all suffering is God's will. I'm just saying that if God says "no," he has his reasons.

We cannot claim to know God's will in every situation. So in Romans 8:26, Paul says, "We do not know what we ought to pray for..." Notice he didn't say, "We don't know how we ought to pray," as if the problem was just a matter of finding the right formula or the right words. But Paul said "We don't know what we ought to pray..."

We don't always know the best outcome according to God's will. But the Spirit knows and he intercedes for us. The Spirit is our interpreter who translates our prayers into what ought to be said. And then we trust God to do what is best.

While not always knowing what we should pray, we are nevertheless encouraged to bring our petitions to God ( Phil. 4:6). If we believe that all things are possible with him, then he might be persuaded to grant our request. But believing that he can do what we ask is not the same as knowing that he will do it. It's entirely appropriate for us to pray as Jesus prayed: "Father, if you are willing" and "not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).    

Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 5)

Prayer: It's Not all About Me

I first began attending a Church of Christ twenty years ago. There were notable differences between this church and what I knew about mainline Protestant or Charismatic churches. One striking difference was the public prayers. Unlike the prayers in some other churches, prayers in Churches of Christ were often punctuated with the phrase, "If it be thy will."

I was not impressed at first. It seemed to me that this phrase functioned as a disclaimer, as if to say, "Lord, we really don't think you're going to do what we're asking, so we'll insert this escape clause. Then if our petition is not granted, we can chalk it up to something other than our own lack of faith."

The phrase "If it be thy will" seemed almost like surrendering, as if we were raising the white flag in defeat. It could absolve us of any responsibility for our unanswered prayers. We would not have to ask if our unbelief or the sin in our lives might be hindering our prayers. Instead we could just say, "Oh well. It just wasn't God's will."

So we must guard against the phrase "if it be thy will" becoming a disclaimer. We especially run that risk in movements that grew out of the Enlightenment, an age which tended to overly rationalize, thereby downplaying the supernatural and the mysterious. Rising above this means that we really believe God can do anything. We really believe that he can do what we're asking.

But this isn't the same as knowing that he'll do what we're asking. Prayer is not a blank check and God is not a vending machine. It is perfectly biblical to pray "if it be thy will." Jesus did this at Gethsemane. Just hours before his crucifixion he petitions the Father: "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:36).

Jesus did not want to be crucified. In asking that the cup pass from him, he petitioned his Father to spare him this experience. Jesus continued, "Everything is possible for you." Now that is a key to having our prayers answered in the affirmative. We must believe that everything is possible with God. If we doubt that God can do what we ask, why pray?

But Jesus added, "Yet not what I will, but what you will." If there was any way for humankind to be saved without a cross, then this was Jesus' petition. But he went on to resign himself to the Father's will. Jesus knew that prayer was not all about what he wanted, but it was to align himself with the Father's kingdom agenda.

Likewise, prayer is not merely about getting what we want. It's about aligning ourselves with what is best in God's grand scheme. This isn't to say that prayer only changes us, but that it never changes God. A plethora of Scriptures affirm that God can be persuaded to act, when this acting is consistent with his will.

So the big question is not merely what I think is best for me, but what is best for the kingdom of God and the body of Christ. So we pray not with selfish concerns, but with kingdom concerns. We ask God for the outcome that will have the greatest impact for his kingdom.   

Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 4)

I would do anything for my children. If that means taking a bullet or donating an organ, so be it. Once they're grown, if they find themselves in a crisis or a major life transition, I'll travel across the ocean to be there for them if that's what it takes. I would do anything for my children.

As the holiday season got under way we asked each of our children to make Christmas lists, to give us some ideas. Justin, our nine-year-old, began his list with the following items: personal computer, ipod, BB gun. We sent him back to the drawing board. At the top of six-year-old Erin's list was "a real live puppy." She also went back to the drawing board.

But wait a minute! Did I not just say that I would do anything for my children? Is that not true? Yes, it is true, but it's not a blank check. So why don't I always give my children what they ask for? Well, there are some qualifiers.

First, I will only give my children what they're ready to handle. They must have the level of maturity to responsibly use or care for whatever I give them.

Second, I will only give my children what is within the best interests of the family. They must learn that the world does not revolve around them. There are community concerns as well. If an item is so pricey that its costs outweigh its benefits to the family, then the request is denied.

I'll do anything for my children, which is precisely why I don't grant all their requests. Justin had the flu last week. One evening his fever was dangerously high. In addition to medication, I sponged him down with cool water. This didn't do much so I put him in the bathtub. Being our iron-willed child, he pitched a fit.

Since he was having chills, he begged and pleaded with me to let him get dressed and crawl back under layers of covers. I assured him that I knew best and I was doing this for his good. He wasn't convinced and insisted that if I really loved him I would grant his request. I didn't argue because nothing I could say would have made logical sense to him.

My previous post cited several scriptures which assure us that God our Father will do anything for his children. So why doesn't he say "yes" in response to every prayer? Because his granting of requests have to be within the realm of his will.

This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).

God will only give us what is in accordance with his will. We may not always know what that is. We may think we're ready for something that God knows we're not mature enough to handle. We may doubt God's love for us, not understanding why he doesn't grant a request. If he explained the reasons to us, they would be unfathomable to our finite minds. God won't give us what is not good for us.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11).

In some instances we may know what is best for us. In James 1, Christ-followers are encouraged to pray for wisdom in the midst of trials. They are to pray this prayer believing and not doubting, fully expecting that their request will be granted (James 1:2-8). Now surely the church to whom James writes had prayed for deliverance from trials. God may deliver us from our trials or he may grant us wisdom to endure them.

There may be several reasons God doesn't say "yes." It may not be best for us. Or it may not be of benefit to God's family, which will be the subject of my next post.      

Can God Be Persuaded to Act? (Part 3)

Is Prayer a Blank Check?

Just what has God promised to do in response to our prayers? Consider the following scriptures:

1) Matthew 21:21-22. After a fig tree withers at Jesus' command, he says this: I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, "Go throw yourself into the sea," and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

2) Mark 11:23-24. In Mark's parallel account of the fig tree story, Jesus says this: ...if anyone says to this mountain, "Go throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This passage is obviously where some denominations come by the notion that you should start claiming what you've asked for in prayer before it even happens. They say you should start thanking God for what you've requested in advance as if it's already a done deal.

Is that really what these passages teach? Notice I've underlined phrases that seem to emphatically promise that God will act in response to our prayers. The condition is that the petitioner must believe that what he says will happen. He must not doubt. This goes along with yet another scripture.

3) James 1:6-7. When James encouraged his readers to pray for wisdom in the midst of trials, he said, But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord...

So it seems pretty clear that if you doubt that what you're praying for is even possible then you're already defeated. Consider another Scripture:

4) John 14:12-14. In the context of this passage, Jesus is in the upper room with his apostles just prior to his crucifixion. With his impending departure at hand, he is passing the torch of ministry on to them. He says to these apostles: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Wow! What if we took these scriptures at face value, making no effort to explain them away? Could believing what we read here increase our faith? Might we pray more if we believed that it actually made a difference?

What are we to make of those words whatever and anything?: "Whatever you ask for;" "Ask me for anything in my name." Was Jesus serious? And is that a promise for us or just for the apostles?

Could it be that some prayers are not answered in the affirmative because we just have trouble believing in the power of God? Could this especially be a problem for those in fellowships whose roots are in an Enlightenment Rationalist historical context?

But on the other hand, is prayer a blank check? Has God promised to give me whatever I want? If I pray for a free Cadillac, should I expect someone to show up at my door and hand me a set of keys? Maybe I should pray that the lender will forgive my mortgage debt. Hey, Jesus said anything. So what did he mean by that?

More later (I'll try to not keep you waiting an entire week this time).         

Can God be Persuaded to Act? (Part 2)

To pray the same prayer for years and feel that nothing has changed may contribute to a broad range of feelings or emotions. Here are a number of scenarios that a person in that situation might experience.

1) Envy. While your prayer has gone seemingly unanswered, you hear others testify to God's intervention in their life at just the right time with just the right answer. While you want to be happy for them, you feel envy, especially if their prayer requests were similar to your own. Why couldn't it have been you? You may feel that God has his favorites and you're not on the list.

2) Guilt. So then you move from envy into guilt. You feel guilty for being envious and for questioning God's fairness. You feel guilty for obsessing about what you don't have instead of counting your many blessings. You feel guilty when you look at others who are less fortunate than you--those who have seemingly insurmountable problems with no apparent hope. Why are some prayers answered in the affirmative while others are not?

3) Desperation. How do you approach God when you're desperate for change? You may come before God humbly. There may be times that you lie on the floor, face down on the carpet, sobbing in the night as you pour your heart out to God. There may be other times that you shake your fist at heaven asking "Why?"

4) Searching. You relentlessly search for answers. You search all the pertinent scriptures, read every book, and consult every mentor. No one has the answers. As far as you can tell things should have changed long ago. You cringe when someone speaks of "God's perfect timing." From where you've been waiting it seems that he is chronically behind schedule. There is no good reason, as far as you're concerned, for God to move so slowly. There is no good reason for your situation. It seems pointless and senseless.

5) Consolation. So you try to console yourself. You keep hope alive by telling yourself that God intends to change the situation. It just isn't time yet. You repeat the old cliche that God's timing isn't ours and he knows best.

Others may try to console you. Some of charismatic persuasion might assure you that God wants to answer in the affirmative. You just need to increase your faith. "Believe and receive" is the tried and true formula they offer.

More conservative believers insist that you just need to pray according to God's will. You think of Jesus who prayed "not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:32-42). Jesus didn't want to be crucified, but he submitted to God's will. Paul's thorn in the flesh was not removed, although he prayed for its removal repeatedly. God had other plans for a higher purpose (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

You may reason that what you're going through is for the good of others, so that either now or later, this experience equips you for ministry. Your suffering may be to benefit others. But you ask if it's fair that you suffer for the benefit of others. Then you recall that Jesus suffered for your benefit.

It could be that what you're praying for depends not only upon God being persuaded, but on other people being persuaded. Would God be overriding free will to make this happen for you, and if so, does he work that way? Is it really God's fault that your situation hasn't changed or are others to blame? But if God could make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the Israelites, can he not intervene and make those who could change your situation favorably disposed toward you? (Exodus 3:21; 11:3; 12:36).

Perhaps your current situation is preparing you for greater things. But you fear the pain of false hope. So many times it seemed that the writing was all over the wall and a breakthrough just over the horizon. So now it's just too painful to hope and be let down again. Does this sound like anything that you have been through?

More later.   

Can God Be Persuaded to Act?

Have you ever prayed the same prayer more than once? Suppose you have prayed the same prayer--not for days, weeks, or even months--but for literally years!

You need a major change to occur in your life. This isn't just something you want, but you feel that you desperately need this. So you pray. But years later nothing has changed. Perhaps over those years you have made every effort to persuade God to act.

While it isn't stated this explicitly in Scripture, you've always believed that God helps those who help themselves. David didn't just wait for Goliath to fall. David did his part. If you just work long enough and hard enough, you can surely make things happen. So you make every effort, exhaust every resource, and explore every avenue. You work yourself to exhaustion in an effort to do your part. But nothing changes.

So you reason that perhaps God is trying to show you what he can do on his own power without your help. You sit back, relax, and wait for God to act. Still nothing happens.

So you may reason that you just aren't praying hard enough. You combine prayer with fasting attempting to bring your prayer to the next level. God needs to see you're serious about this thing. Perhaps you have friends who love you enough to even fast with you. Still no response from God.

So maybe if just more people were praying, that would make the difference. Then God would be persuaded to act. This approach seemed to get Peter out of prison. So you have fifty friends praying in twelve states. Nothing changes. Maybe prayer vigils are held. Nothing changes. 

You finally conclude that maybe you've been traveling the wrong road. You must change the entire direction of your life. So you start to travel a strange and unfamiliar path. Not a wrong path, but just a different path. But it seems that this road likewise leads to nowhere.

Okay, so it must be the sin in your life that hinders your prayers. You decide to purge yourself of every bad habit and every character flaw. You kick yourself for every relapse and every failure, thinking that maybe you're sabotaging your hopes for an answered prayer. But even during long stretches of committed faithfulness, nothing changes.

So you conclude that maybe it isn't God's will for your circumstance to change. You try being contented with the state you're in. Things change alright. They get worse and you become more miserable.

Throughout these years of wrestling in prayer, well meaning people cite all the cliches, platitudes, and pertinent Bible verses:

• All in God's timing. Sometimes he says "wait."
• God's ways are beyond our ways.
• God has his reasons. Just trust him.
• God is not a vending machine.
• No one ever promised life would be fair.
• Good things come to those who wait.
• It's always darkest before the dawn.
• Just tie a knot and hang on.

As true as some of these statements may be, they aren't that helpful when someone is wondering why God seems so distant. So can God be persuaded to act? What are we to make of it when he doesn't?

More later.