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Praying in Faith
“Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:22
Anyone who prays has surely had the experience of a seemingly unanswered prayer. How can this be, when the Scriptures tell us we will receive that for which we ask in prayer? Among vexing theological problems, this one is near the top of the list.
I don’t pretend to have it all figured out, and I am suspicious of people who have quick answers to this and other theological puzzles. As I try to understand what the Scriptures say and reconcile it to my own experience and the stories of others, I think we have to step back and look at the big picture.
Jesus teaches us that when we pray “with faith” or, elsewhere, “for the kingdom,” we will receive these things. In other words, our prayers need to align with God’s purposes for us and our world. Most of my own prayers are for wisdom, for understanding, for change in my own heart. I’m not sure that’s the right approach, but it is where my journey has taken me for now.
Regarding our prayer life as Episcopalians, what a gift our Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer is, and to have this offering at St. Martin’s! Each weekday, we can join with others in Christ Chapel's morning and evening services, structuring our day around God, anchoring life in scripture, and fostering a rhythm of “praying without ceasing”. For me, this ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer is a reminder that we are not alone when we read the Bible and pray. It’s comforting to know that Christians around the world (and, on another level, throughout history) are also doing Morning and Evening Prayer. We are partaking in the Church’s daily public worship of God, the Church’s participation in Christ’s priestly work as it praises God, gives thanks to Him, and intercedes for itself and the world.
Perhaps we Christians would do well to pray together more often, not just on Sundays, but throughout the week, to know that we can join others, organizing our days around time with God. It keeps us anchored through crises, disappointments and all the changes and chances of this fleeting world. Most of all, it reminds us that praying in faith, for the kingdom, will bear fruit and deepen our connection to Christ and His plan of redemption.
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