July 11, 2025

The prayers God answers. . . .

Are there any ‘human event’ illustrations to explain prayer? The only one I can think of is the man who bought a violin and learned to play along with the orchestra he listened to on the radio. The orchestra played without his initial mistakes and screeching affecting their music, but as the man listened and followed, he learned the right notes and began playing sounds that matched what he heard.

Today, I read that, “In essence, prayer is not about changing God's mind, but about aligning ourselves with His will and participating in His plan for the world. It's a way to connect with God, receive His guidance, and experience His blessings as He works through our prayers.”

Before our 2024 family reunion, the skies were filled with wildfire smoke. The days were unbearable hot, and on the way to the event, the wind was blowing the grass flat. Before that day, I’d prayed about the air and the heat, then the sky was clear and the temperature just right. So I prayed again, “God, You control the weather. What about that wind?” In less than five minutes, it stopped, and the weather was perfect for the three days of our family gathering. 

Only God… and yet I realize that had I not prayed, His will would be done anyway, but I would have missed a note. Instead, I had the wonderful experience of being in tune with God. 

Some are certain that our prayers are vital or God does not move. They cite verses like: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2) But what is the reason for not asking? If I am wanting something in a selfish way, haven’t I listened to the music long enough to know God does not want to fulfill all my selfish desires? Such prayer is playing the wrong notes and expecting the orchestra to play it with me. I do not pull (or pluck) God’s strings. His will is perfect and nowhere does His Word affirm that my prayers are vital to His playlist.

Instead, as I am learning, my prayers are not my plans but to fit in with what God has planned. “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance,” says Martin Luther, “but laying hold of his willingness.”

How could I think to change His mind — as if He is wanting the wrong thing?  A.W. Pink puts it this way: “There is no need whatever for God to change His designs or alter His purpose, for the all-sufficient reason that these were framed under the influence of perfect goodness and unerring wisdom. . . . To affirm that God changes his purpose is either to impugn his goodness or to deny his eternal wisdom… The sovereign God hangs the universe on the prayers of His people, and then inspires and empowers us to pray.”

I pray for many things, but never for any change in God, even though I fear too many Christians pray for their will to be done rather than His. How sad to view God as a genie in the sky who bows to our every wish. Prayer should reverse that idea so that I am bowing to His every desire!

PRAY: Lord, enable me to know You so well and listen to You so closely that I hear every note and know how You want me to pray. I want my words in alignment with Your heart. I want to be tuned in, not playing any tune other than what fits with the music of Your sovereign will because I totally trust that You know far better (and far more) than I do about all things on my prayer list. May all of us who follow You listen and respond in alliance with Your gracious will.

 

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