It Doesn't Matter (2)
We’re not to read God promises to us in light of our own agendas; they’re to be read in light of his
agenda. We’re not to read them thinking, “This is what I’d like him to
mean”; we’re to read them thinking, “Let’s see what he means.”
“I tell you, then, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24, NEB)
“Whatever you pray for in faith you will receive” (Matthew 21:8, NEB)
“Anything you ask in my name I will do” (John 14:13, NEB)
“If
two of you agree one earth about any request you have to make, that
request will be granted by my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:19)
Those
texts are to be understood within the parameters of God’s kingdom
purposes (compare Matthew 6:33). He means to bring the saved of all the
ages to glorious, deathless, joy-filled lives of righteousness and the
assurance that that is so is Jesus Christ who has personally already
experienced triumph over sin and death and all that goes with them.
Until
he returns he has chosen (elected) out of the earth by his gospel a New
Covenant people, the Church, which is his body to be a community/nation
of witness of God’s saving and redeeming purpose. That holy people
is assured that whatever it needs it can have it for God does not send
it on a mission without equipping it (compare Ephesians 4:7-16).The
texts of prayer above aren’t spoken outside God’s agenda and they are to
be understood in reference to equipping the People of God as servants
of that agenda.
That
kind of speech is common in our daily lives only we don’t notice it. A
mother to a child in an ice-cream shop. “You can have anything you
want!” In this setting “anything” doesn’t mean anything.
A
boss to an employee in a work setting about an important project. “I
want you to see that this is done!” The junior says. “Yes, but I’ll need
a number of things.” The boss says, “Anything you think you need,
you’ve got it!” In this setting “anything” doesn’t mean anything and it certainly doesn’t mean the boss’s job.
A
woman to her friend in serious financial need. “I’ll do anything to
help you get free from this.” In this setting “anything” doesn’t mean anything and it certainly doesn’t mean bank-robbery.
If you don’t like the illustrations make up your own; life is filled with this kind of speech and this kind of commitment.
God doesn’t make a commitment that would put us on the throne. He can’t
surrender his sovereignty and it’s only silliness or unfathomed
desperation that would think otherwise. “Your wish is my command!” God can’t
make that kind of promise and still remain Lord of All. A commitment
like that turns him into a divine warehouse, a heavenly message boy, a
deified genie, a God at our disposal.
Is
God less than God because he can’t surrender his universal sovereignty?
He would be less than the God the Bible describes if he thought that
giving every Christian a blank cheque would be a good idea!
Even humans know better than to let their little children have anything they want!
So where does that leave us? Do the texts mean nothing? Are we not to ask God about personal needs? No, the texts do not
mean nothing but they are not to be turned into a blank cheque for that
only leads to disappointment and resentment when the pray-er does not
get the good thing they pray for.
And we’re certainly to bring our personal requests before God for while good parents don't undertake to fulfil every
desire of the child they often give the child what it asks. In the
meantime those parents provide day in and day out the things the child
must have (from them) to keep it alive and well. A refusal of some
specific request doesn’t blot out the ceaseless provision.
There are some things that good parents can’t
give their child—not if they care for the child and this has nothing to
do with “power”. To provide what is requested might be easy enough as
far as the ability to do it but if the parents know it runs contrary to
the child’s good then they can’t do it and keep faith with themselves and the child.
But what if what an individual is asking for something reasonable and good? (To be continued, God enabling.)