This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him. [1 John 5:14-15 (CSB)]
The Sinner’s Shack Gentlemen’s Club wanted to open an establishment in a small Midwest community. It’s a rather conservative town and, since there’s nothing gentlemanly about the goings on in such an establishment, many people were up in arms about it. When the Holier than Thou Evangelical Church started a campaign to halt the tawdry business from locating in town, prayer sessions were held three times a day and the City Council was inundated with letters and calls of protests. Unfortunately, in spite of the prayers and pleas, proper zoning was attained and construction on the “gentlemen’s club” began. Just a day before its grand opening, however, lightning struck the Sinner’s Shack and it burned to the ground!
The Holier than Thous were rather smug and self-righteous about the fire until Honey Bunn, the owner of the club, filed suit against the church, its pastor, and the entire congregation on the grounds that they were “ultimately responsible for the demise of the building and business, either through direct or indirect divine actions or means.” In response, the Holier than Thous vociferously denied “any and all” responsibility for the lightning and the building’s loss.
As the judge read through the plaintiff’s complaint and the church’s reply, he admitted confusion. “I have no idea how I will be able to decide this case,” said the judge. “I have a staunch sinner who appears to believe in the power of prayer and an entire congregation of Christians who don’t!”
Of course, this is just a bit of silly fiction, but it poses some interesting questions about our belief in the power of prayer. If we were opposed to the establishment, would we have joined in those prayer sessions or would we have considered the issue a lost cause? If we attended those prayer sessions, would we have gone out of a sense of duty or because we truly believed our prayers could make a difference? Do we ever pray without believing in the power of our prayers? Do we ever consider something such a lost cause that we don’t even bother to pray? Do we ever pray without the confidence that our prayers are heard? When our prayers are answered, as they appear to have been in the story, are we surprised? Then, instead of crediting it to the power of prayer, do we chalk it up to coincidence or good luck?
In regard to answered prayers, Thomas Aquinas said, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” Nevertheless, when God’s answer is as spectacular as a fortuitous lightning strike, it’s difficult not to attribute His answer to coincidence. Nevertheless, nothing happens that hasn’t passed through God’s hand first. When we pray, we better believe that we’re praying to the almighty God who can change reality to meet a request—if it is according to His will! If we don’t believe that, there’s really no point in praying! As for those who regard answered prayers as little more than coincidence or luck, I’m with Archbishop William Temple who said, “When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.”
Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous. [Albert Einstein]
But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways. [James 1:6-8 (CSB)]
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Several years ago, an entertainment network did a story on the highlights of Charlotte, North Carolina. Since the Billy Graham Library was considered a point of interest, it was visited by the show’s co-host Kristy Villa and her film crew. Commenting on the many crosses she saw throughout the property, Villa asked, “I see all the crosses, but where is Jesus?” Her guide simply replied, “He’s in Heaven,” adding, ”He is also present in the lives of those who believe in Him and follow Him as their personal Lord and Savior.” Villa exclaimed, “Oh, that’s right! Some worship a crucifix, but Christians worship a risen Christ.” Indeed, Christ’s story doesn’t end with a dead man hanging on a cross. Nevertheless, rather than an empty cross, our emphasis should be on His empty tomb!
Sunset tonight begins the 14th day of Adar in the Hebrew year 5783 and the Jewish celebration of Purim (or the Festival of Lots). Lasting until sunset tomorrow night, Purim commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation in the ancient Persian Empire. Purim means “lots” in Persian and this holy day gets its name from the way the diabolical Haman determined the date to “destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions.”
The Book of Exodus tells of the many times Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh with the Lord’s message that he should let the Israelites leave Egypt. Unwilling to see his slave labor depart, Pharaoh demanded a miracle to prove that the Israelites’ God sent them. Aaron threw down his staff and it became a serpent but Egypt’s magicians managed to do the same thing. Even though Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs, Pharaoh was unimpressed.
The only two miracles recorded in all four gospels are the resurrection of Jesus and His feeding of the 5,000. Since the gospel writers only told us the number of men at that al fresco meal, Biblical scholars estimate the actual number eating those loaves and fish to be more than double that figure. Perhaps it’s because of the magnitude of that miracle that people often want a logical (meaning earthly) explanation of how Jesus did it and skeptics love to offer their own version of the events.
Angels taking on bodily form and appearing to people certainly wasn’t an everyday occurrence. Although they are God’s messengers, the message angels bring can be good news or bad. While they may help God’s people as they did for Elijah and Daniel, angels also execute God’s judgment as they did when striking down the firstborn males in Egypt. I suspect Gabriel looked fiercer and more powerful than the elegant sweet angels hanging on our Christmas trees. When he arrived unannounced in the empty Temple sanctuary, Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear and, when he suddenly appeared in an empty room in Nazareth, Mary was troubled and perplexed. Not knowing whether he was on a mission of judgment or mercy, it’s no wonder both Zechariah and Mary were fearful. Gabriel began his visits by telling them both not to be afraid.
