The Answered Prayer

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Sep 30, 1908

The Answered Prayer.

No prayer to God need go unanswered. It all depends on the asker and the asking. The sure promise of God is, “If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us; and if we know that He heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5: 14, 15.

Precious promise indeed, and a most reasonable condition. Why should we not ask according to His will? Is not His will always best? He is infinite in His love for us; therefore He will ever seek only our good. He is infinite in wisdom and knowledge; therefore He understands what is best for us, and He knows how to accomplish it. He is infinite in power; therefore He can do what His wisdom and love dictate should be done. Is not His will therefore best? And should we not make the first petition of our prayer that His will may be wrought in us and by us and through us?

We may desire other things which to us seem good and wise; we may wish to tread some other path not so difficult, bear some other cross not so heavy, take some other yoke, be saved from some great trial, but none of these may seem best to the all-wise, loving Father. If we ask for them and do not receive them, is our prayer answered? —Most assuredly, “if we ask according to His will.”

The Experience of Our Example.

Read the experience of Jesus our Lord and Example. The awful baptism of suffering rose before Him. The human Jesus saw the cross, its darkness, the awful consciousness of separation from the Father, as He died in the sinner’s stead. And three times over He bows before God in the agony of Gethsemane and pleads that He might not drink the awful cup. Did God hear that petition?—He did. He always hears. Did He remove the cup?—He did not. How then was the prayer of Jesus answered? Ah! there was another petition in that prayer. Listen:

“Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me; nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.” Mark 14: 36.

His chief petition was that God’s will might be wrought. “Nevertheless,” whatever may come, let Thy will be done. The great petition of the prayer was answered. God’s will was wrought out in Christ; the bitter cup was quaffed, and human salvation and the greater glory of Christ were assured.

Even so let Christians pray. Above whatever we desire, let the petition that God’s will may be done be paramount, and no prayer can remain unanswered of God; and it will always be well.