Praying In God's Will

I think that God is getting lots of prayers these days. If it's not our misfiring government, it's Covid-19, mass murderers, China, failing relationships, on and on and on. Yet God hears the prayers of the righteous. He hears the prayers of those who have placed their faith in His Son, Jesus.

It is up to God whether He answers our prayers or not. It's His will, not ours, that determines if prayers get answered. God takes our prayers and examines them. He examines our hearts along with them. He knows our thoughts and our motives.

Do you remember the story about the friends of a paralyzed man who lowered him through the roof to be healed by Jesus? Look closely at what Jesus says.

"Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” - Luke 5:18-20

Jesus forgave the paralytic's sins first, THEN He healed him to make a point to the Pharisees.

I have a friend whose sister-in-law in lying in a hospital bed this morning with Covid-related pneumonia. At last word she was unresponsive. What should my prayer be? Look at our example in Luke 5.

I think that the first thing we need to pray for is that people come to know Jesus. When we place our faith in Him, that's when things begin to happen. Verse 20 above says "when Jesus saw their faith."

Jesus "sees our faith" when we pray. Unless we have none to see. The men in the passage we read had so much faith in Jesus' ability that they tore a hole in the roof to deliver their friend to Him. Is that us in our prayers? Are we that desperate when we pray?

Look, Jesus can heal anybody. That's been proven in scripture. The question becomes, "Will He?" It's totally up to Him. He knows the future. He IS the future. His first criteria in answer prayer or in healing the sick is a person's faith. We need to express that faith as we pray.

We need to KNOW Christ. We need to trust Him, that no matter the outcome, it is God's will. And we have to be fine with that. Trust in Jesus. Have faith that He can accomplish anything. And hope in His promise that He wishes that NONE would perish. Everlasting life awaits all who believe.