See what God can do...

I went to visit Marjorie in her new home in Wellington this week. She seemed as happy as could be in her cheerily decorated, two-room apartment. That didn’t surprise me. Marjorie’s not much of a complainer. She always makes the best of life.

Somehow our conversation turned to what she was doing. She talked about all the free time she had – free time to pray. She’s keeping busy on the church's behalf.

Marjorie’s down-the-hall neighbor, Jane, has told me dozens of times that she does the same. Jane prays for all the folks in Argonia every night. She prays throughout the day as God brings friends to mind.

God’s church is blessed with an abundance of men and women dedicated to the spiritual protection and blessing of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of them pray every morning for those they know who are in need. They count it a privilege to take their friends’ troubles to the throne of God in heaven. God is pleased to listen to and answer their petitions.

Prayer matters. A prayer-weak church is a plain weak church. No church can survive long without the consistent and persistent prayers of its members.

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, NIV)

He’s calling his followers to action. Ask. Seek. Knock. Those are all active verbs. Prayer is not doing nothing! It is not thinking wishfully out loud. It is not playing “I hope so” with the Almighty. Prayer is actively pursuing the God who loves us for the things we and others need. It’s vigorous. Intense.

After Jesus said, “Ask…seek…knock,” he went on to say: “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8, NIV)

There’s a promise here. Don’t miss it. God will answer the prayers of his people. He’s given his word. Ask…receive. Seek…find. Knock…doors open.

The only time I know of in the Bible when God says, “You can’t have what you’ve asked for,” is when you’re asking selfishly.

“You do not have, because you do not ask God,” James writes. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3, NIV)

“Which of you,” Jesus asked, “if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11, NIV)

God is good. He wants to bless his children. He wants to answer their prayers.

I want you to think of a situation you’re facing right now. Anything. A delightful thing. A disastrous thing. God wants you to pray about that thing – whatever came to your mind first. He wants to hear from you. He wants to act on your behalf. He wants to help. Take your circumstances to God. Do it now. Don’t rush things. Lay it all out before the Lover of your soul. See what God can do.

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