One Sunday recently in Sunday school
we were talking about God sightings, and a few people shared ways
they had seen God at work that week. This week I had a few answers to
prayer. One was a specific solution to a technical problem that came
to me during the night. The next day I found Psalm 16:7 (ESV), “I
bless the Lord, who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart
instructs me.” God had done exactly that.
Another answer to prayer was that
multiple people came to basically the same conclusion on an issue
independently. It seemed clear to all of us that God was closing that
particular door. That led me to Psalm 38:15, “But for You, O Lord,
do I wait; it is You, O Lord my God, who will answer.” God provided
the answer when it was needed.
Earlier in the week I read 1
Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build one
another up, just as you are doing.” I was really puzzling over how
that kind of encouragement can be accomplished when so much of what I
deal with from day to day is confidential for various reasons. But by
the end of the week I knew that friends don’t necessarily need to
know all the details of a problem in order to pray for you and
thereby encourage you. Some prayer requests must be shared only in
general terms, and prayer must be offered in faith that God knows all
the details.
However, that doesn’t mean that
prayers need to be vague. I always wonder what people mean when they
pray “God, be with so and so” or “bless them.” God is always
with us and He is always blessing us in one way or another, so what
do those prayers accomplish? I know those phrases have become a kind
of Christianese shorthand for “accomplish good things in that
person’s life,” but we can tend to use words without much thought
or purpose. Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty
phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard
for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).
There are plenty of biblical prayers
that we can pray even when we don’t know the details of what a
person is dealing with. Praying for wisdom and guidance is usually a
good idea (Colossians 1:9). Who doesn’t need wisdom in the complex
decisions we have to make every week? Prayer for the right words at
the right time is beneficial for the wide variety of relationships we
have (Ephesians 6:19). And we could all use prayers for growth in
faith (Ephesians 4:15-16). We may not know exactly what to pray, but
“the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words” (Romans 8:26).
In the situations I’ve mentioned,
my primary prayer was for wisdom in what I should do. God gave clear
direction in each case. If I had prayed only vague prayers, though
God would still have done what He willed, I probably would not have
noticed His answer. My faith was strengthened by seeing how God was
at work not just in my own life and circumstances but in other people
as well. “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith…
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication
for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:16, 18).
May we all be spurred on to pray
specifically and persistently for those we know, and may we find
encouragement in learning how God has answered those prayers.
“In the day of trouble I call
upon You, for You answer me” (Psalm 86:7).
© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise
indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The
opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or
employer.
