Prayer is something that Christians do every day. The Bible encourages it. It's popular enough, even with those who aren't Christians. Which begs the question: why do we pray? The answer seems simple enough: we hope things will happen when we pray. This should be especially true of Christians. Here's a question though- what do you pray for? This isn't a question you need to answer me on, it's something for you to think about. Maybe you pray for the health of others. Perhaps your prayers are for your finances. You might even be praying for a miracle (it's not all that uncommon). Whatever you pray for, you probably expect that God is listening. You trust that He'll act on your prayer, right? Otherwise you might as well not pray. Well, here's the thing- prayer is ordained by God, but we need to expect the results of our prayer. Sound like I'm stating the obvious? Maybe so, but I think that while Christians have no problem with the first part, the second part is a little difficult for us at times. For an example of what I mean, we can look at Acts chapter 12 verses 1-19, because even the early church struggled with this at times.
In this story evil King Herod (not the same Herod who tried to kill baby Jesus, but apparently not a whole lot better than that one) is persecuting the church.
"Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” (v 1-11, NKJV, underline added)
What an amazing example of the power of prayer! It's truly awesome to think what God will do for His people when they pray. If ever there was a testimony to God and how He listens to prayer, it would be this. The church must have been ecstatic, right? Let's read on:
"So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there." (v 12-19 NKJV, boldface and italics added)
I'm not sure what's more amazing in this passage- the power of God or the stunned response of the church! Why on earth would they ask God for something, and then refuse to believe He did it?
Then again... maybe they weren't the only ones. How often do we ask God for something, and then become the most surprised of anyone when He grants it to us? Granted, some things are beyond our control, but does it do any good for us to spend time praying and not expect anything? When God answers our prayer, why should we be so stunned?
I propose that it would be better to live our lives in expectancy- expecting that God will answer our prayers, and always for the best. He may not always answer with a yes- but when He does, our best response should be one of joyful thanksgiving, not dumbfounded cynicism. The church thought Peter's angel was at the door. What does that even mean? Did they think he'd died already, or that his guardian angel had come to the gate looking like him? What did they think? We must be careful not to repeat the error they did. Never try to explain God's actions away. Not only is it erroneous, its dangerous. Instead, when we pray we should live as if we expect God to do something. When you ask someone by e-mail if you can borrow their car and your license is expired, you go and renew the license, partially because if they say yes you need to be able to drive! It's the same with God. If we ask, we should live as if we will receive, and we should keep expecting until God says "Yes" or "No"! This isn't a smug assumption that we get whatever we want, but rather a joyful lifestyle that expects the best from God because that is what He wants to give!
We can take the example of King David in Psalm 62, which the NKJV titles as "A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God".
"My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
In this story evil King Herod (not the same Herod who tried to kill baby Jesus, but apparently not a whole lot better than that one) is persecuting the church.
"Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” (v 1-11, NKJV, underline added)
What an amazing example of the power of prayer! It's truly awesome to think what God will do for His people when they pray. If ever there was a testimony to God and how He listens to prayer, it would be this. The church must have been ecstatic, right? Let's read on:
"So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there." (v 12-19 NKJV, boldface and italics added)
I'm not sure what's more amazing in this passage- the power of God or the stunned response of the church! Why on earth would they ask God for something, and then refuse to believe He did it?
Then again... maybe they weren't the only ones. How often do we ask God for something, and then become the most surprised of anyone when He grants it to us? Granted, some things are beyond our control, but does it do any good for us to spend time praying and not expect anything? When God answers our prayer, why should we be so stunned?
I propose that it would be better to live our lives in expectancy- expecting that God will answer our prayers, and always for the best. He may not always answer with a yes- but when He does, our best response should be one of joyful thanksgiving, not dumbfounded cynicism. The church thought Peter's angel was at the door. What does that even mean? Did they think he'd died already, or that his guardian angel had come to the gate looking like him? What did they think? We must be careful not to repeat the error they did. Never try to explain God's actions away. Not only is it erroneous, its dangerous. Instead, when we pray we should live as if we expect God to do something. When you ask someone by e-mail if you can borrow their car and your license is expired, you go and renew the license, partially because if they say yes you need to be able to drive! It's the same with God. If we ask, we should live as if we will receive, and we should keep expecting until God says "Yes" or "No"! This isn't a smug assumption that we get whatever we want, but rather a joyful lifestyle that expects the best from God because that is what He wants to give!
We can take the example of King David in Psalm 62, which the NKJV titles as "A Calm Resolve to Wait for the Salvation of God".
"My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 65:5-8 NKJV)
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 65:5-8 NKJV)
We should live our lives with great expectations, for God has great things for us. Don't be surprised when He moves for you. He's already sacrificed His Son to save you.
