“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Suppose you have a friend, and you go to
him at midnight and say, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a
friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to
offer him.” And suppose the one inside answers, “Don’t bother me.
The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t
get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get
up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your
shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you
need. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will
find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the
door will be opened.’” (Luke 11:5-10, NIV)
At the core of saints’ guidance is prayer. William Law was emphatic
about our praying and doing everything, “in the name of God, and
under such rule as are conformable to his glory.”
“We readily acknowledge that God alone is to be the rule and
measure of our prayers; that in them we are to look wholly unto Him,
and act wholly for Him; that we are to pray in such a manner for such
things, and such ends, as are suitable to His glory.”
For most of us, it’s not as much about whether we pray as how we
pray. Much of our praying is anemic with caveats like, “if it be your
will.” Our prayers sound like we’re trying to give God an out, trying to
prevent God from being embarrassed. If we put “if” in our praying,
our faith is not tested when our prayers are not answered. When I add,
“if it’s your will,” I’m really giving myself an out if my prayer is
unanswered. In hindsight, most of us experience the relief that comes
when God does not answer our prayers in the way we thought we
wanted. That does not mean we are to quit praying! I’ve come to the
place in my life when I boldly ask God when I want something. For
me, that means two things: I am more thoughtful in examining my
“wants,” and if God does not want me to have it, then God won’t give
it to me, and I won’t be upset.
God knows what is best, so I can pray boldly, because God likes
bold prayers; the Bible is filled with bold prayers. Law not only makes
the case for all our praying to be “in such a manner for such things,
and such ends, as are suitable to His glory;” we are to live our lives in
that manner.
“Now let anyone but find out the reason why he is to be strictly
pious in his prayers, and he will find the same as strong a reason to be
as strictly pious in all the other parts of his life. For there is not the
least shadow of a reason why we should make God the rule and
measure of our prayers; why we should look wholly unto him, and pray
according to His will; but what equally proves it necessary for us to
look wholly unto God and make Him the rule and measure of all the
other actions of our lives.”
Moment of Reflection: How expectant is your praying?
Prayer: Lord, I surrender; I give myself to Thee. Fill me with Thy love
and power, let Thy blessing fall on me. Amen
Saints Alive! is available in both print and Kindle format by clicking HERE.