GOD’S USE OF MEANS

1 KINGS 18:20–46

“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again”

(1 Kings 18:37).

The question of “Why should we pray if God is sovereign?” or to put it another way, “Does prayer change anything?” still remains unanswered as it pertains to our prayers of supplication. Yesterday, we learned the great benefit prayer has on our spiritual lives as it draws us closer to God. But the question of whether or not prayer changes anything is still legitimate, and the answer might be somewhat perplexing, for it is both “yes and no.”

Prayer does change things. The Bible is full of examples of the power of prayer. But prayer does not change the mind of God. You might ask then, “What about God changing His mind (or repenting, as it is written) in the Old Testament?” The terminology used here has to do with God’s removing the threat of judgment. It is His consistent pattern to give a warning conditionally, i.e. I will consume you if you do not repent. Even though this is not said every time, it is assumed. God will bring judgment unless the people turn from their wickedness. In this way, God threatened to destroy the Israelites, but Moses interceded on their behalf and God repented. In other words, He turned from one course of action to another. God used the prayer of Moses as means of showing grace and mercy to His people.

The change among the people, their repentance, came about through means, through prayer. When that repentance occurred, God withdrew the sword of judgment. The same thing happened to Ninivah. God threatened to consume them, but Jonah preached to them and through that preaching they repented. God, then, turned from judgment and showed them mercy. God used the means of preaching to bring about His purposes of redemption.

It is a mistake to assume that if you only pray about something then you will change God’s mind. No matter how much you pray, even with other people joining in, you will never, for instance, change God’s mind concerning the condemnation of Satan. Satan will not be saved. God has declared it to be so, and you will not change His mind. God, however, does use prayer to bring about changes that He has determined. Prayer does change things, for it is a means God uses in governing His creation.

CORAM DEO

Psalm 116–118

1 Corinthians 2

Read Exodus 15:24, 25; Judges 6:39, 40; 1 Samuel 1:27. How do these prayers prove that God does give us what we ask for? Read Genesis 18:23; 2 Samuel 3:6; 2 Corinthians 12:8, 9. How do these prayers reveal that sometimes God does not grant what we ask for? Are you content to accept God’s will regarding your prayers?

For further study: Ex. 33:12–23 • Deut. 3:23–26 • 2 Sam. 12:15–23

thursday

august