Recently I was offered a blessing. It basically went something like, "I hope all your prayers get answered."
This got me thinking about the kinds of prayers I've been praying.
What if I got one prayer answered, in the manner that so many scoffers think we pray. (Don't mistake this thought experiment for committing to a life of wishful thinking.) But literally what prayer could I possibly pray if I knew I would get the answer.
I've prayed for a wife, for the salvation of family, for the war, for my country, for friends...and before I go on to deliver the most obvious answer to this question, I want to consider the likelihood of each.
Lets say I got a wife. On the surface, that would be a blessing to me. Conceivably though, it would also be a blessing to that wife. I would be hers just like she were mine. My life for hers. All of that put someone else ahead of myself.
Suppose my family got saved, all of them. While this would be a blessing for me, a great peace resting upon my heart, but again, conceivably, it'd be a blessing to everyone they came in contact with.
Perhaps with this prayer I could dictate the outcome of Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Hamas-Hezbollah, USA/Iran, Nigeria... Do I possess enough insight to push the balance to one side or another. Would any peace be reasonable? And if were to delve deeper into what each side needs to be at peace, What does Russia need to be at peace? I cannot know for certain, but this prayer, should it be granted, I wouldn't pray for Russia/Ukraine to peace...but to be at peace. And what do any of us need to find peace?
As a Christian I believe that all lasting peace is found at the foot of the cross. So in praying for peace for Russia, am I not actually praying for their hearts to find salvation? If I were to get this prayer granted, would I not be asking God for revival? As such, would this not also be the same prayer for the other wars. For that matter my country, too. That revival would enter the hearts of my people, and all people.
And what this illuminates is that there are basically 3 prayers I can pray. 1. That I am selfless, 2. Revival and salvation, and then 3. which becomes the most obvious thing to pray is, "your will be done."
If prayer, granted like a wish, were a thing, then anything outside of my own selflessness or the salvation of others, have I not entered into a realm of selfish outcomes?
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ' Matthew 6:9-13
Actually, I forgot another aspect of prayer. Praise. Hallowed be your name...
Your Kingdom come, (revival/salvation)
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, (HIS will be done)
Give us this day our daily bread, (selflessness)
Forgive us our debts, (revival/salvation)
As we also have forgiven our debtors, (selflessness)
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, (revival/salvation)
Admittedly I have the hardest time to hold in tension that, "Give us our daily bread," is about selflessness, but hear me out. If we owe our daily bread to God's provision, are we not living in a way that gives over our desire to attend to ourselves and placing our provision in God's hands.
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