“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
And, “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.”
And, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
These are dangerous verses. They pull at the self-interest that lies at the center of each of us.
As I write this the mega-millions lottery game has exceeded the 500 million mark. Shall I pray to be the winner? He said, “Anything.”
I have seen so many people pray for the healing of a loved one, only to face death instead. Didn’t he say, “Anything?”
I prayed earnestly and long for deliverance from my addictions. He did say, “Whatever,” didn’t he?
A part of the problem with these verses is that we are tempted to take them completely out of context. We can find support for almost anything if we take isolated verses from the scripture. The gospels need to be taken as a whole if all the parts are to be understood. The same Jesus who said, “Anything, whatever, everyone,” also said, “But seek first his Kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” First. Not in the sense of the first of a list, and if you don’t find it, go on to whatever is second. But first, and don’t go on until you have found the object of your search, for all the rest depends on that discovery.
And, in the Lord’s Prayer, didn’t he also say, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There it is again, the word “Kingdom.” We know that the Kingdom of God, the focus of all Jesus preaching, was and is the complete and unalloyed rule of God in the hearts of his followers. To experience the Kingdom of God is to be a part of God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
But we are tempted to pray for ourselves; for our needs, desires, and passions before we earnestly seek his Kingdom in our hearts, our world, and our lives. And because of that we pray for far too little. There have been times in history when the people of God were world-changers, culture-changers. Times when the power of their passion burned so hot and bright that entire cultures and nations were saved and restored. They prayed for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and it was given. Those times will return when our passion is for his Kingdom and righteousness live at the heart of our prayers.
And when our hearts are centered on the Kingdom of God, our Father, who knows all that we need and desire, will bless us with his love and bounty…in his time, in his way, because it’s always best that way. Always.
Prayer: “Great Father, I trust you. In this day I choose to make your will and desire my own. Help me escape from my preoccupation with myself. Fill my day with people to care for and enjoy and fill me with your light for their sake. Bless me with peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.”