HOLY WEEK: TUESDAY
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
As we follow Jesus through the events of this “holy week,” we are encouraged to pray. The hope of Easter invites us to say “Yes” to mountain-moving faith and “No” to the fruitless tree of death (see Matthew 21:18-22). Because of Easter, we believe–and receive–the gift of eternal life. And, because of Easter, you and I can stare death in the face, curse its pain, and bury its fear. And so, in dealing with issues of life and death, Jesus invites us to pray.
Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” If we were to isolate these words from their immediate context and from the larger context of Jesus’ teaching about prayer, we might conclude that God stands ready not only to satisfy our personal needs but also our wills and wants. But, this is not what Jesus is saying. In teaching his followers how to pray, Jesus has also shown us that the first priority in prayer is always “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10; cf., 26:39). So, “whatever” we ask for in prayer should always be requested with a purposeful desire for God’s will to be done–in our world, in our lives, and in this present moment. Let us pray....
The Lord be with you,
Dr. Wyatt E Fenno
Pastor, First Christian Church of Allen
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