“You know,” Stan commented one morning, “a person can learn a great deal about God and how to relate to Him by talking with other people.”
“That’s probably true,” I replied. ‘You have something specific in mind?”
“Sure do,” Stan said. “The other day I was talking with a neighbor about prayer and she had something to tell me about praying for miracles.”
“Praying for miracles?” I responded. “Has she had some miracles in her life?”
“Well,” Stan replied, “as she puts it, the mere fact she has a relationship with God is a miracle, but, no, what she was talking about is how she changed from praying for miracles to praying for God’s will to be done.”
“Oh,” I said, “praying for God’s will to be done regardless of whether or not a miracle is going to be involved in that happening.”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “And what she had to say was a valuable lesson for me. Too often I will see a situation and think that I need a miracle, but, in fact, all I need is to get me out of God’s way and let Him do what He’s going to do.”
“Seems to me,” I said, “that’s kind of like what Jesus said when He was teaching His disciples how to pray.”
“In what way?” Stan asked.
“As I remember it,” I replied, “Jesus told the disciples that God already knows what we need before we ask and that we are to pray that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.”
“That’s right,” Stan said. “And it doesn’t say anything about asking God for a miracle. It just says to pray that His will be done.”
“So,” I replied, “it’s like praying to the Miracle-Maker to do what He’s going to do whether or not a miracle is involved.”
“Yeah,” Stan said. “Seek Him and His will, not miracles!”
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Bible verses to be considered:
Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10.
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you allow me to come before you in prayer. I confess that too often I pray for a miracle, rather than praying that your will be done, whether or not you will do what I consider to be a miracle. Please forgive the foolishness of too often praying for a miracle when all you want is for me to surrender to your will and get myself out of your way. Please, Father, help me with that so I pray only for your will to be done, not mine apart from you and your will. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: What do you think about praying for miracles? Have you ever done that? If so, what happened? Do you find yourself praying for miracles when all God wants is for you to pray for His will to be done — and for you to get yourself out of His way? If so, what’s that all about? If you sense the need for change in how you pray and what you pray for, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 