A reason to pray . . .

 

I’ve been praying for the salvation of a person I know because her extreme selfishness is ruining lives. She is oblivious to her condition and her attitude is a childish ‘I will have my own way’ no matter what anyone else might want. In other words, I want God to fix this mess for those reasons.

However, God rebukes my motive for praying. He starts with this statement and a verse: Every dimension of life, whether physical or spiritual, is a testimony to God’s mercy.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

When God saves, it is not because anyone is special, more deserving, or more needy. Nor is it because their sinfulness is interfering with the faith of others. It is because He sovereignly choses to love and extend His great mercy to that person.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:4–5)

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)

As today’s devotional says, God addresses the pitiful condition of mankind because of His great mercy. Unregenerate people are totally depraved, dead in trespasses, enslaved to sin, cursed to eternal damnation, unable to help themselves, and in desperate need of someone to show them mercy and compassion. That’s the good news of the gospel: God loves sinners and extends mercy to all.

Of course, we need to be willing to admit we need it, but that is God’s doing also. We are told to repent yet also told that God grants it:

God exalted (Jesus) at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31)

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30)

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24–26)

Without Jesus, repentance is not a purely human action. Esau sold his birthright and regretted his actions, then afterward, “when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:17) This was an ‘I’m sorry I got caught’ repentance, not the kind God wants. His “godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Bottom line: as I pray for this person, I need to ask God for mercy. He loves sinners and as the OT says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22–23)

My prayers need to look more like this: “For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!” (Psalm 108:4–6)

Also, when I pray, asking for godly repentance must be included. This is not a case of ‘fix it for my comfort’ but a case of ‘turn her life around, granting repentance that You may be glorified.’

PRAY: Jesus, You always address the needs of my heart first before You grant the desires of my heart. In this case, my desires were more about me than the other person, never mind that my concern ought to be that You are glorified in the answer. I’m thankful for Your great mercy. By it, I repented and received eternal life and an eternal inheritance. Without Your goodness and grace, I would be just like that person whose selfishness is so destructive.

PONDER: Mark 10:46–52 tells how a blind man called out for mercy and received it. When God granted mercy to me, I didn’t call out for it nor realize how much I needed it, yet He came into my life anyway. For those who are caught up in ‘me, me, me’ the Lord God knows exactly what to do and how to demonstrate mercy and His great love and power. I need Him to show me my part in doing the same.