Howdy!
Seeing as this is mainly supposed to be a pastoral letter about prayer and worship, we are going to go back to the sources today and expand on something we are in the midst of talking about on Thursdays, and that is prayer. As we close out the Shorter Catechism and prepare to switch over to the Larger Catechism beginning next week it will be helpful to think some more about what it is we intend when we pray Thy Will Be Done. Also we’ll spend some time considering how forceful we should be in asking God for things.
It seems a bit weird to put it like that, but we have several examples in the Bible that I can think of off the top of my had. Primarily I am thinking about Jacob demanding God give Him a blessing in Genesis 32. As a reminder this is the conversation between the LORD and Jacob:
And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
It seems presumptuous in our ears to be in any kind of position to require things of God. However, that’s exactly what Jacob does. He flat our refuses to give up until He receives a blessing, and that comes with an interesting response. Instead of receiving the same penalty as Nadab, Jacob instead gets what he asks for. The name Israel literally translated indicates that he is now, “the prince of God”. What in the world does that mean? Well, it means that part of the reward that Jacob won for his perseverance was to be marked out as a son of the living God. If God is king than there is no doubt that to then make sense of the language we must say Jacob is a prince, and being of the ordinary household he therefore is granted many privileges, including the right and honor to call God, Abba, Father. What this proves is not so much that Jacob was “converted” or some such or had his covenantal relationship with Jehovah changed, but that he was granted a sure knowledge of the truth through this unique and supernatural sign.
What can we say then about this situation for our benefit today, especially as we think through the purpose and power of seeking God to answer in prayer? That response is summarized well by Matthew Henry in his comments on the prophet Hosea’s use of the passage in Hosea 12:4.
Henry says:
When his faith, acting upon the divine promise that was for him, prevailed above his fears that arose from the divine providences that were against him, then by his strength he had power with God. This refers especially to his prayer for deliverance from Esau, and for a blessing: He had power over the angel and prevailed, for he wept and made supplication. Here was a mixture of the greatest courage and the greatest tenderness, Jacob wrestling like a champion and yet weeping like a child. Note, prayers and tears are the weapons with which the saints have obtained the most glorious victories.
The kind of tears which Jacob wields here are not prayers of sadness, or the kind of thing associated with Hallmark or dime-store romance novels. No, his eye-wetting is of a type more akin to being exhausted after a hard day’s work and being broken by the event. They are “manly tears” (if we can say such a thing in our contemporary society). There is also an aggression in the demanding of God to give him a blessing. He wants his blessing and he will do all that it takes to get it. That is the kind of thing we should associate with the word of the apostle James when he says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When we pray we should mean it and remind God of His promise to hear our prayers and to do the work we call for in Thy Will Be Done! I think sometimes we equate meekly coming before the Lord by doing so mousily or weakly, when what it really entails is coming humbly to the throne of grace. One can do so with authority, with assurance, and with the kind of rolling thunder of a great cavalry charge, like the brave Kentuckians who won the day at Buena Vista. Bounding into the house of the LORD seeking His power to accomplish His will is a glorious event that we should never shy away from. Boldness in the presence of God is a gracious act of faith.
Consider for a moment the scene with the disciples and the kids in Matthew 19. There we have Jesus Christ, very God of very God, busy teaching older people when some moms and dads bring their children to Him. They run up to Him, ignoring that He is busy doing something else, and what does He do? Embraces them, stops what He is engaged in and listens intently to their stories and tales. Your Heavenly Father is no different than His Son at this moment. It is worth remembering that God is not “tied up and busy” at any point during the day. Do not be afraid to rush to His side and call out to Him for you know in hope and faith that He will hear your prayers. Pray boldly, loudly, with fervor and agency. Be not afraid to approach the throne of grace with your tears and cries. You have a right to be there, and I dare say a right to be heard.
In closing, take seriously the opportunities you have to bring your needs to your God. He’s sent His Son to lay down His life for you, you better believe He’s ready and able and willing to answer your prayers. Just as Jacob demanded the LORD give Him a blessing, don’t be afraid to seek your needs with the one who made all things for His glory.
Something else to consider:
https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2017/04/06/im-scared-to-pray-boldly-2
Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Benjamin Glaser
Pastor, Bethany ARP Church