"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven..." ~Matthew 6:9-10
When it comes to praying for our personal desires* or desires on behalf of our neighbor, we must pray in the knowledge that God is in perfect authority and love to veto (overturn or override) any request we pray.
Yes, God is indeed "Faithful & True" (Revelation 19:11, 2 Timothy 2:13, Malachi 3:6) and His Word (promises) cannot be broken. (Job 10:35, Jeremiah 31:35-37, Isaiah 55:10-11)
That being said, God is not limited nor restricted to minister His loving will in one particular form or way. He is infinite and thus His dealings with us...all perfect and loving...can go an infinite amount of ways and course of actions. He can choose any one of them without breaking His promise/covenant toward us or compromising His character. We need to understand that we have finite minds and like little children, we do not know what's best for ourselves. (We often thought candy was, but our wise parents determined for us otherwise.) We must realize our Father in Heaven has the full picture and our best interests in mind as well. (Matthew 6:25-33) Isn't it quite ludicrous that my heart (& feelings) should often blindly default to criticizing/questioning the Creator of the universe in how best my life and my world ought to pan out?
God is open to the questions of man. (Obviously, God knew ahead of time that such would arise when He created man in His image in the first place.) But He cannot ultimately be questioned; in that, God can choose to explain Himself to man or not (and often times in His mercy He discloses His Divine purpose with man). He answers to no one while still remaining open in relating to us, His Creation.
On that note, we can learn a lot from the book of Job about the prevailing sovereignty and goodness of God. Job was no Stoicist; one who hardens himself and both dares and defies fate or circumstances to do their worst. When he said of God, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.." (13:15) he acknowledged, in the midst of his struggles and grief with God, that His ways and thoughts supersede the ways and thoughts of man. (Isaiah 55:8-9, Proverbs 25:2, Hebrews 12:3-10)
God is big enough to deal with our questions, struggles, disappointments, frustrations, and even anger at Him in the way He handles our needs and prayers. Even our righteousness, Elihu says in Job (35:6-8), does nothing to profit or benefit God. A single drop of water, much less a single molecule! can make no effect on a body of water. [Isaiah 40:12-17] So are we in comparison to God. He can handle our disappointments with His strength (Matthew 11:28-29) merciful, supplying grace (Hebrews 4:15-16) if we would just cry out to Him (Romans 10:13) and seek Him (Psalm 105:4-5). We just need to be willing to acknowledge...(by denying ourselves, taking up His cross, and following Jesus)...and then choose (like Job) to believe, at the end of the day, that God, our Heavenly Father, is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20) and our understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) and that however He responds to our requests will be for our good (Jeremiah 29:11) and for His glory. (Psalm 40:16)
"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.
For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men. ~Lamentations 3:22-26, 31-33
"Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left." ~Isaiah 30:18, 21
"Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You. With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." ~Isaiah 26:8-9
(*These are desires that are godly, or God-created, and that do not transgress His law. God has already guaranteed He will not answer the prayers of those who are dwelling/meditating on sin [Psalm 68:18, Proverbs 28:9])
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Different Things God is teaching Me
SpiritualWhen God shows His love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, and grace towards you...it shouldn't stop with you. You are destined to pass it on to others and reflect faithfulness and devotion back to Him as the Divine Spouse. Cover Art by Maria Oosth...
