Prayer – what words would you use to describe your life of prayer?
Awesome!
Ok.
Amazing!
Blah.
Consistent.
Rushed.
Rich.
Distracted.
Sweet.
Dry.
There might be a few different words I'd use to describe my current life of prayer, but the one that came to mind this past week was… FORGETFUL.
And not so much that I 'forget' to pray but that I'm FORGETFUL in all that God has for me in prayer.
Yes, the gift of prayer is God… not the things of God, but God Himself – being with God is truly the most amazing part of prayer.
I've not forgotten that, but at least in this season, I have been FORGETFUL of what God wants to do in prayer. Very specifically, what God wants me to see Him do through prayer.
I forget that prayer isn't just me talking into the silence — it's an invitation to actually watch my Good and Gracious Heavenly Father do what He loves to do… move in response to the prayers of His Kids.
And somewhere along the way in this most recent season without meaning to, I let prayer become a habit I keep rather than an encounter I expect.
This past week, I found myself in the Psalms… specifically Psalm 2. And I did not get very far in the Psalm before I was confronted with a QUESTION, but before I share what that is, some background on Psalm 2 might be helpful.
The Psalm opens with chaos…
"Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?"
Psalm 2:1 (NLT)
Kings are scheming.
Rulers are plotting rebellion — not against each other, but against God and against His anointed king.
Psalm 2 is about a world convinced it can run itself, if it could just get God out of the way.
And how does God respond to all that raging and plotting?
Well… He laughs (see v.4).
And not because the threat is real, but because it isn't.
God simply installs His King — and then says something staggering to Him…
"Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession"
Psalm 2:8 (NLT)
As I read v.8, here's what gave me pause… that offer was made to the Son.
The rightful King.
The One with every reason to already possess it all.
And still — ASK.
Not demand.
Not earn.
ASK.
If the Son was invited to ASK, what does that mean for us — sons and daughters brought into the Family of God?
As I sat with… ASK… the QUESTIONI wrestled with was NOT “Does prayer really work?” – rather it was…
LORD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME ASK OF YOU?
Now, if you're anything like me, prayer isn't always the first thing I think to do. It's not last, but first, well, let me think about the situation or circumstance for a bit, let me try to figure out what do or not do, maybe add a tad of stress into that equation and then it occurs to me… "Michael, what about prayer… WHY NOT bring this to the LORD in prayer?"
I realize that for some reading these words right now, prayer is the first thing you think to do… and if that's you –KEEP GOING!
Whereas for others, prayer happens somewhere in the middle or the end of whatever it is we're seeking to navigate. And if that's you – well, let's make prayer the first thing we do.
And then I can only imagine there are some reading these words right now where your heart posture towards prayer is that it just doesn't work.
Maybe you've never said that out loud for anyone to hear, but somewhere along the way, prayer was neither first nor last, it just stopped happening because when you prayed, nothing happened, at least in the way you'd hoped it would.
You prayed for the marriage, the diagnosis, the job — and the answer you wanted never came. So, you concluded, maybe not in words but in practice, that prayer doesn't actually do anything.
Whatever your heart posture towards prayer is today, please REMEMBER what Psalms 2 won’t allow us to forget… the God who laughs at nations plotting against Him is the same God who leans down and says ASK.
God is Sovereign over kings and kingdoms, and He still wants to hear about your bills.
God rules the nations, and He still cares whether that job comes through.
God holds the whole earth as His possession, and He has not lost interest in whether your marriage makes it or whether you'll ever walk down the aisle.
Please… DON'T STOP ASKING!
Not because your persistence twists God's arm but because prayer is the place where you keep REMEMBERING who God is and who you are to Him.
Every time you ASK, you're saying to God… I still believe You're near enough to hear this and big enough to handle it.
Before you move on to whatever is next for you in this day, please take a moment to ASK…
"LORD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME ASK OF YOU?"
And whatever the LORD brings to mind… ASK.
ASK about the bill.
ASK about the job.
ASK about the marriage.
ASK about the loneliness.
ASK about the thing you've stopped mentioning because it's felt useless to keep bringing it up.
Please know and never forget…
He is not tired of hearing you ASK… HE'S INVITING IT!
