Matthew 21:21-22 MSG But Jesus was matter of fact: “Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.”
Observation
The word to remember here is “believing” which raises the question – how much do we pray for that we don’t really expect to happen? We are great askers, often with a long list of what we think we need or what we have determined needs to happen to set the world or our part of it right side up. Honestly, how often do we throw out a quick prayer just to satisfy the Christian protocol without really embracing the possibility of our prayer requests coming to pass? Have we missed the step of “if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God”? Have our prayers become like the Pharisees – ritual, duty, what is expected of the more spiritual of us?
What we really need to do is to return to that first lovely moment when we received the grace provided by Jesus at salvation, the grace and overwhelming power that we experienced when we sincerely repented upon sinning again, the moment we embraced that kingdom life without any doubt that almighty God loves us enough to die for us. When praying, we need to remember He is in charge, He is where the power comes from, and recognize that believing is the only contribution we really make to it all. One man, one fig tree, one mountain, one world – Jesus did it all because He clearly understood all of this.
Impact on Me
When I neglect the Word and time with the Lord, I can be deceived into relying on my own strength and ability to accomplish, to comfort, to encourage. When I do, I am in a very weak operating position. I find that I can drift into formulaic praying for things that I don’t really expect to happen. Sometimes this is because I haven’t seen any results before and don’t expect any results now. Sometimes I don’t believe what I am praying for is possible. Sometimes I am just impatient to see the results I want and foolishly think I can do something to make them happen.
Did I get there because I based God’s faithfulness and power to accomplish those results on whether He gave me that instant gratification – seeing God jump to conform to my expectations, my timetable? Do I think He should adopt my plan over His because I think His plan is taking too long and we should use my shortcut? Isn’t this the short-sightedness of ends justifying the means – like the devil’s offer in Matthew 4 to give the kingdoms of the world to Jesus if Jesus would just bow down and worship him? “Bypass all the suffering, Jesus. Here is a great shortcut to the end You want.”
I want to always pray expecting God to show up and move but at the same time be willing to patiently wait on and trust His means. How can I forget that my life is a journey of faith and submission to Jesus – a journey on which the challenges I face train and shape me in faith so I will be what I am called to be and do what I am called to do? How do I get to the place that I believe I can change anything, much less “triumph over huge obstacles”, without depending on the Holy Spirit’s power working in and through me? Until I am confident enough to believe and completely submit to God’s will, timing and ways when I pray, I am working at cross purposes to Him and should not expect to see results! No shortcuts accepted, Mr. Devil!
Prayer
Lord God, all-wise, all powerful, all-knowing, gracious God, keep my on the journey that will conform me to Your ways and not the ways of this world. Like Jesus, may I trust in what You have planned and set in motion regardless of whether I understand the reasoning or circumstances behind it. May I always honor You in my prayers by expecting You to hear and answer appropriately – in Your will, in Your time, in Your way – producing eternal benefit even when my eyes don’t see it. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 