Word of Encouragement (02/08/2022)

“And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away." 18And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!" 21 He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.” (Gen. 19:17-22).

One of the things I’d like to do is to compare Lot’s prayer in this passage with Abraham’s prayer we reflected on last week. Doing so raises an interesting question: what is a “good” prayer and what is a not-so-good prayer? If your prayer is answered, does that mean it is automatically a good prayer? And is an unanswered prayer automatically a bad prayer?

One of the biggest dangers we must avoid as Christians is the “pragmatic” approach to our Christian life. Christianity is eminently a “practical” religion in the sense that the truth of God’s Word is to be practiced in our lives rather than just understood: “...be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Being “practical” also means that God’s Word and His divinely-ordained means accomplish their purpose without fail.

Being “pragmatic,” however, is different from being “practical.” It is so preoccupied with getting the desired result that, if necessary, it forgoes with moral, spiritual principles. The obvious way Satan tempts us is to violate God’s law. But he tempts us also in not-so-obvious ways. One way is to encourage us to pursue the end that God intends for us apart from the means God established to that end. A good example is how Satan tempted Eve by telling her, “...you will be like God...” (Gen. 3:5)! God intended her to be like Him. That is why He created her in His own image. But this was to be done through obedience to God’s law, not by taking what seemed to be a more “efficient” way! That’s a good example of pragmatism. You can see how dangerous it is.

When we survey the Bible, we will see that God did not answer some “good” prayers while He answered some “not-so-good” prayers. Think about Paul’s prayer that he might visit Corinth again. Insofar as he desired to minister to the Corinthians, that was a good prayer. Yet, he was thwarted by Satan many a time. Think also about David’s petition that he might be allowed to build a temple for the LORD. Wasn’t that a good prayer? This prayer was motivated by David’s love of God. Yet, this request was rejected by God.

While “good” prayers can be rejected by God, “not-so-good” prayers can be answered by God, too. Think of Israel’s prayers for God’s deliverance during the time of the judges. Think also of the prayer of Ahab, one of the worst kings in Israel. Both of these prayers were motivated by the pain of the punishment God inflicted on them, not by sincere faith in, or genuine love, for God. Yet, God heard their prayers and rescued them, at least temporarily, from their affliction.

It is encouraging to see that God, being so gracious, can use even our “not-so-good” prayers to accomplish His purpose. I hope we can find it equally encouraging that, even if we don’t get what we ask for, we can take comfort in the fact that God can view our prayers as “good” and pleasing to Him if our prayers are motivated by our desire to glorify God. Think about what happened as a result of David’s “good” prayer. Even though God did not grant him the privilege of building a temple for God (because his hands shed much blood), God granted him something far better—the promise that He would establish his throne forever and his son would build a temple for God (and his greater Son would build an enteral, heavenly temple!).

I hope we desire to pray “good” prayers even if they are not answered rather than “not-so-good” prayers even if they get answered. May the Lord grow our knowledge of Him so that we would pray according to His will and character as it is revealed in His Word! May God be pleased to answer our “good” prayers and, if His answer should be no, grant us something even better!