We Have What We Ask of Him .
1 John 5:14,15 NIV

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

This is one of those “tricky” passages that not only confuses me, but is apparently misquoted and misunderstood by many believing Christians. I don’t think my son will mind my using a real-life example of how we fail to understand what Jesus is telling us with these words. My son has two former classmates who served in Iraq. One of them was injured, but initial reports were promising. Ultimately he lost one his legs due to the injuries sustained on the battlefield. Another classmate was killed.

My son’s comment to me about his friend’s amputation was that he guesses he (my son) didn’t pray hard enough, and that’s why the friend lost the leg – either that or that God was too busy to hear his prayers. Wow. It’s pretty tough to be eighteen years old and already have some real-life, grown-up situations where you felt pretty sure God wasn’t “there” for you.

I chimed right in that God was never to busy . . . sometimes we don’t understand God’s plans . . . I tried to rely upon my Stephen Ministry training. The following Sunday I picked up a little booklet appropriately titled, “When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers” and gave it to my son. As I sit here this morning I realize I need to get the booklet, read it, and then discuss this topic with him in much greater detail!

We’ve been doing a great deal of “extra” praying around our house. My husband’s on-going job search has the topic of many prayers lifted to heaven. We are working very had to rest in God and trust that He will answer our prayers. No, we are certain He will answer them! We’re just not certain how thrilled we will be with the answer! The discussion with my son will be beneficial for me as well—and I will probably suggest my husband read the booklet and we can have a family discussion about the topic at dinner.

My prayer today is that you go to God with every hope, dream, desire and request. And that you trust that you have what you asked of him.

Mary  ¶ 6:41 AM