When We Don’t Know What to Do, Do What God Said

Since I write my posts a couple weeks in advance, one of these days the COVID-19 virus pandemic will thankfully have passed, making my thoughts about it outdated. But until then, I continue to ponder what God might be seeking to teach us through this unsettling “season” of our history. Maybe, among other things, He wants to remind of what He’s said all along.

For instance, the significance of prayer. We tend to regard prayer for emergencies only, a last resort. Or as something we indulge in for a few idle moments – which, until we’re engaged in social distancing and staying in place, seem scarce. But prayer is important throughout the Scriptures, and we see repeatedly that when people pray, amazing things happen.

For instance, in Jeremiah 33:3 we read, “Call on Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about the prospect of seeing “great and might things” these days, especially if the Lord is doing them. When things seem darkest, that’s when the light of Christ shines brightest.

Another of my favorite verses about prayer offers this simple admonishment: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). As I understand it, prayer is not something that occurs only at a certain time, when we’re in a certain place or in a certain position. To pray without ceasing means engaging in it continually, kind of like a face-to-face conversation – which we haven’t had much recently – or chatting with someone over the phone. There might be a pause in the exchange of words, but after a few moments we pick things up where we left off.

Of late, when followers of Jesus have mentioned praying about the coronavirus crisis, skeptics have scoffed, as if to say, “What good will that do?” In actuality, it can do a lot. Praying about any situation doesn’t mean passivity; in fact, the Scriptures teach whenever we have the opportunity, we’re to take appropriate and prompt action. But when we pray, we’re not only acknowledging and praising our God, but also recognizing His power and that He can do what we cannot.

Jesus told us, “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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Too often we fret and spit and moan and groan, when the most productive and meaningful thing we can do is pray.

There are some who have suggested COVID-19 is God’s judgment on America, or the world. I don’t know about that; such an idea is far beyond my theological pay grade. But when it comes to doing what God has said, especially when we’re unsure about what we should be doing, we have a powerful exhortation that we rarely consider.

Imagine if the millions of true followers of Jesus were to diligently and intentionally put into practice the instructions from 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Occasionally we see this passage trotted out for a community prayer breakfast or a similar event, but it’s something we all can do – individually and collectively – at any time. On numerous occasions we read about the people of Israel doing this in the Old Testament. They had lost interest in worshiping and following God, choosing instead to go their own way. Much as we’ve done in our nation. 

Then, when things turned bleak, the Israelites seemed to have one of those “Aha!” experiences. They repented, turned back to God, and He restored His blessings and protective care. Maybe that’s what the Lord is asking of us today. Things had been going well overall, seemingly without God’s help, but suddenly we’ve hit a major bump in the road. “What do we do?” we cry out in fear and despair.

Perhaps God is using this time to ask, “Are you willing to humble yourselves, and pray, and seek Me, and turn from your disobedience and rebellion? If so, I’m listening and eager to respond in ways you could never imagine.” Imagine that!

When Asking Isn’t a Risk

Have you ever seen one of those public marriage proposals at an athletic contest, when some guy in the stands arranges to have the camera trained on him and his lady love when he decides to drop to a knee and pop the question? Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if she stepped away in horror and shouted, “No way, Jose!”? As many times as those PDAs (public displays of affection) have been done, I suppose it has happened at least once or twice. I’d hate to be that guy.

Long ago I swore off punishing myself by watching “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette,” since they’re such a mockery of what love truly is, but I suspect an occasional repelled proposal has taken place in a climactic episode, if for no other reason than to boost ratings.

Several weeks ago I attended Ohio State’s annual spring football game, which was little more than a glorified intra-squad scrimmage. But the halftime break was highlighted by one of those, “Will you marry me?” moments. Drue Chrisman, the Buckeyes’ punter, arranged to have his girlfriend on the field so he could pop the question in front of 62,000 Scarlet and Gray-clad fans. To make sure everyone had a good view of the proceedings, the proposal was even shown on the huge stadium video screen. 

Predictably, she gave him a tear-filled “Yes!” and the crowd erupted with applause. Again I wondered, what if Chrisman’s girlfriend has said no, or even taken some time to think it over? That would have been awkward, wouldn’t it?

But of course, even though he might have felt a butterfly or two, the Buckeye kicker already knew how she would respond. So getting down on one knee must not have been all that hard. He wasn’t taking a risk. Asking questions like that are easy when you already know the answer.

This is why the words of Jesus Christ should give us such confidence and comfort. For instance, knowing the day of His crucifixion was fast approaching, the Lord desired to assure His closest followers that they wouldn’t be abandoned. “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24).

Wanting them to understand that God is not distant and unreachable, Jesus taught them how to pray expectantly. He told of a man who finally agreed to provide assistance because of a friend’s persistent requests, then assured His disciples that their prayerful petitions would be much more readily received. “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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).

Often we approach the Lord tentatively, as if we’re afraid to bother Him with our needs and concerns. “God, I know You’re busy and all, having the whole universe to manage and oversee. But if it’s not too much trouble, if you wouldn’t mind….” However, the writer of Hebrews observes that just as a child has easy access to a loving father, day or night, no matter what, we shouldn’t hesitate in bringing our requests to the Lord.

“For we do not have a high priests who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

We talk about having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” and that’s what passages like these underscore. Unlike religions that assert that their deity is unknowable, our Christian faith is based on the assurance that God is personal, present and responsive.

So like the prospective groom who on bended knee asks for the hand of the woman he loves, confident he knows what her answer will be, we can approach the Lord with even greater confidence based on the promises we find in the Scriptures, coupled with His faithful, unwavering character. 

As Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7). There’s no risk involved.

Does Your Home Have a War Room?

Lots of times I’m behind the curve – technology, fashion trends, TV shows, movies. So I finally got around to seeing the film, “War Room,” one of the growing number of faith-based movies by the Kendrick brothers. Better late than never, as is often the case.

While this certainly won’t go down among the greatest cinematic achievements of all time, its message – for those who believe in a personal God who hears and responds to our prayers and pleas – serves as a powerful reminder.

In case you still haven’t gotten to view “War Room” – whatcha waitin’ for, huh? – here’s a very quick synopsis: An elderly woman decides to sell her longtime home, and while meeting with the real estate agent, discovers the younger woman’s marriage is in dire straits. This prompts her to show the agent what she calls her “war room,” a prayer closet in the most literal sense, adorned only with her prayer requests and lists of prayers answered through the years.

As you might expect, the younger woman, desperate to save her marriage, decides she needs a war room of her own. Through a series of twists and turns, God works in her marriage so by the end, they’re all living happily ever after.

Of course, in real life prayers aren’t always answered so predictably or neatly. Often God’s answers differ from what we want – or expect. Sometimes He says “yes,” but other times responds with a “no” (knowing us and what we need better than we do), or “wait,” or even in a totally different way from what we asked.

The point is, prayer is a resource we greatly undervalue and underutilize. I’m pointing a finger directly at myself right now. It’s kind of like this computer and the software I use for writing. I could choose instead to use a legal pad and write on it with pen or pencil, or just sit around thinking about writing and never actually do it. That wouldn’t make sense. But don’t we treat prayer the same way?

Every day we talk, fret, argue, complain and agonize over an endless variety of problems, concerns and needs. We visit these issues, then revisit them, hash and rehash them. But the one thing we don’t seem to do a lot is pray about them. If we spent as much time praying fervently about these things as we do mumbling about and discussing them, might it make a difference?

In November we have a Presidential election. Each of us concerned about the course our nation has taken and will take in the future knows the outcome could be pivotal, not only for the next four years but also for the ultimate course of our nation. Surveying the state of our society, whether it be about violence, poverty, morality and ethics, or the polarization of views and ideologies, we all can see a need for major, dramatic change. We can spend our time talking about it, speaking with like-minded people to reinforce our prejudices – or we can determine it’s time to pray, to really, devotedly, consistently pray.

But why a “war room”? Because while there’s nothing wrong with public prayer, as long as we’re not like the Pharisees doing it for show, the Bible indicates the real work happens in our private, one-on-one moments with God. Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

Whether we admit it or not, I suspect one reason we’re not as ardent in prayer as we should be is we’re not convinced of its importance and value. Otherwise we’d never use the excuse, “I’m too busy to pray.” Maybe that’s why the apostle James warned, “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2).

James also wrote, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7).

If we trust in Jesus and His promises, doubt shouldn’t be an issue. He assured His followers, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7). He also stated, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).

What happens if we do believe, if we are faithful to go to our own private “war room” and tell God whatever is on our hearts? Jesus promised, "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 11:9-10). 

So whether you’ve already seen “War Room,” or even if you never see it, the principle still stands: There’s no telling what could be accomplished if we all went to war, not with guns and rockets and guns, but with the weapon of prayer, trusting God to respond in His way and in His time. Just no telling.

Ask Not, Have Not

‘Tis the season for asking. It’s the time of year when children of all ages compile their Christmas wish lists. Youngsters sidle up to Santa eager to inform him of what they expect to find under the tree on Christmas morning. Some ask nicely, others are more demanding.

I remember in the “olden days” (before the Internet and even Toys ‘R Us) lustfully browsing through the thick Sears Christmas catalog, enraptured by the vast array of toys presented just in time for the holiday season. I’d make my selections and then advise my parents of what I wanted, in essence asking them to fulfill my heart’s desire for Christmas.

Each year around this time,
Santa Claus gets "asked" a lot.

Every year many thousands of letters are written and sent to Santa Claus at the North Pole, some in pen, some in pencil, and some even scrawled in crayon. Sensitive, mature-beyond-their-years youngsters ask for sensible things, like clothes, something nice for Mommy or Daddy, or even for Mommy and Daddy to get along. But most of the time the requests are for stuff ranging from dolls and Legos to the newest high-tech gizmos. “All I want for Christmas is my…iPad”?

So is it wrong to ask? Not hardly. Even Jesus encouraged us to do so: “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). Asking isn’t a bad thing. In fact, if we don’t ask, people often won’t have a clue about what we want.

I’ve often found this as a consumer. I’m not prone to complaining, but on rare instances when I receive poor service I sometimes offer my comments to the appropriate retail establishment. Not only to vent my displeasure, but also to alert the company of unacceptable practices that might be affecting other customers as well. Usually I receive appreciative responses.

Recently, after reviewing a bank statement for our modest savings account, I noticed the monthly interest rate had dropped substantially. I went to the institution and asked about the change. The bank officer kindly informed me that at my request it could be increased, but I would have to ask again in three months since the rate is not permanent. No problem. I’ll just give myself a reminder and in about three months I’ll return to the bank and ask them to renew the higher interest rate. It’s not a difficult thing to do – and I make a few extra bucks in the process.

It amazes me that since we’re so good at asking for things during the Christmas season, why we aren’t more proactive in asking at other times of the year. We’d rather grumble and complain, feeling victimized and mistreated. Maybe if we learned to ask more often, things would go better for us.

This principle holds true spiritually as well. Philippians 4:6 suggests instead of fretting, we should learn to humbly ask God about our needs and concerns. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” In essence, God is saying, “It’s okay, you can ask Me. I always like hearing from you.”

The apostle James affirmed much the same thing when he observed, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Or, as another translation states it, "You have not because you ask not." We wrestle with many issues – health, finances, family strife, work, tough decisions – yet we rarely bother to trustingly turn to God for the solutions. So, the Scriptures tell us, since we don’t ask we don’t have what we desire.

There is one prerequisite to our asking, however, as James proceeded to explain. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). When we ask, the Lord wants us to do so with the right motives, not out of selfish intentions, greed, jealousy or pride. Are we seeking our own gratification, or are our requests in line with God’s purposes and plans not only for us, but also for those we encounter every day?

So it’s good to pause and consider why we’re asking for what we have in mind. If we’re confident our motives are right, then as the adage reminds us, “it never hurts to ask.”