Prayer Answers and Divine Wisdom
The Bible abounds in declarations that God answers prayer; as when the psalmist says: "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come;" and when Jesus says, "Ask and it shall be given unto you." This is, of course, subject to the natural and obvious limitation, that God will use his superior wisdom in deciding what to give and what to refuse, and also when and how to bestow his favors. Prayer does not set aside God's sovereignty, which is simply his love directed by his wisdom. But then these general pledges are an assurance of real aid. They mean that in human experience prayer will be found to be an actual help; that it will not prove a mockery of human hope. Faith will accept these pledges at their full value, and will so rest upon them, as habitually to carry all wants to God in child-like petition, certain that he will do the very best for us that is possible, and taking the comfort of that fact. It will also have the spirit of expectation, and will watch for answers to its petitions, relying on the fatherly character of God and his invitations to his children to make known their desires with the utmost freedom.—Sel.