The Right Prayer Every Time
A man came to Manoah’s wife with news that, although old and barren for many years, she would have a son. He gave her instructions about how the child was to be raised and how he was to live. The woman came to her husband and told him about the encounter with the messenger from God. Manoah was concerned and asked God to send the man of God again so that he could make sure that he knew how to raise this promised son. Notice this…his prayer was how can this be?
Go to another angelic visitation. This time, a young virgin is visited by Gabriel and told that she would be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and would conceive and give birth to a Son. She was to name Him, Jesus. He would save His people from their sins. How did this young woman, Mary, respond? How can this be?
Let’s visit one more person who struggled with instructions given. Ezekiel was told that he must lay on one side for over a year. He would be tied down so that he did not accidently roll over. He was to eat very little food, drink very little water, and the little bit of food he did eat was to be cooked over his own dung! How did Ezekiel respond? How can this be?
Manoah had no son and no idea how to raise one, let alone how to raise one who would be a Nazirite from birth. He asked, “How can it be?” Mary was a virgin and had never known a man intimately and was told she would have a baby. She was betrothed to a righteous man who would never violate the terms of betrothal by being with her that way. She asked, “How can it be?” Ezekiel was asked to do some strange things as acted out parables before the people, but cooking his own food over his own dung was not only gross, but more importantly, it would mean that he would be considered unclean and unacceptable to God. He asked, “How can it be?” How did God respond to these questions?
James 1:5 tells us how He reacts when His children can’t understand His ways and want to make sure they are faithfully following His plan for their lives. He said,
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Now, I know that some will remember Gideon’s fleece, Zechariah being muted, Israel having to traipse through the desert for another 40 years, or Lot’s near miss when leaving Sodom as examples of those who asked the same question with different results. The difference between their questions and those listed above is in the intent of the question. If one is looking for a way out of obedience, this question is a challenge to God’s authority and right to do as He pleases. This type of question does not result in a positive response. Asking this question as a means of ensuring one obeys God’s will and to understand the instructions given in a humble way is a prayer that is the right prayer every time.
What situations are you facing right now? What has God told you about your situation? Perhaps you are in a relationship where temptation has you giving in regularly and you know God’s will for a sexual relationship is only within the marriage relationship and you just can’t imagine what life would be like if you gave up that relationship. Ask God, “How can it be?” Perhaps you know God’s will for you is to take a new job, give up a habit, turn loose of a hurt, talk to a family member about the Lord, go on a mission trip, or volunteer to help with children at church, but you just can’t imagine what that would do to adjust your life. Ask God, “How can it be?” It is the right prayer every time.