Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Proverbs 5-6
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 26:39
He walked a little farther and finally fell prostrate and prayed.
Jesus: Father, this is the last thing I want. If there is any way, please take this bitter cup from Me. Not My will, but Yours be done.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
Have you ever had God not answer your prayers the way you wanted Him to answer them? If you haven’t, then you probably haven’t prayed…ever! I’m pretty positive that everyone who ever prayed more than once has asked God for something He didn’t grant. You see, God isn’t in the business of being a cosmic Santa as too many want to believe. Instead, we need to recognize God as our heavenly Father. Jesus talked about the fact that a father gives good gifts to his children, so if a son asks for a fish, he wouldn’t give him a snake, right?
But we never stop to think that the reverse is also true. When my kids were little, if they asked for a race car, I would probably give them a toy race car. But if they wanted a real one, there is no way, that as a good father I would give them real race car. That would have been foolish. Granting them that request would mean injury or death. They certainly didn’t need a race car and to give it to them would have been a cruel gift to them as their father.
The same is true with many of the things we ask from God. He knows what is best for us. We do not. Sometimes we think we are smarter than God and know all the answers, but we don’t God answers our prayers in a way that is best for us and brings glory to Him. He knows the right answers in every circumstance. He knows how to make every bad situation turn for our best. It may not seem like it at the time, but as a good Father, He gives good things to His children. Always.
When I don’t get what I ask, I often come to this passage and remember that even Jesus, the very Son of God, asked something of His Father and did not receive what He asked. If anyone deserved to get what He asked it would be Jesus. He was God incarnate. The heavenly Father’s Son. He was sinless. He did everything the Father asked of Him. Yet, when it came to asking for relief from the agony of the cross, the Father said, “No. I won’t let you off the hook. You must die for the sins of the world. I know what you have done so far. I know what you ask. I know you don’t deserve this. But the answer is still no.”
So should I feel bad when God turns down my request? I admit sometimes I do, but I try to remember God knows me best and He is my Father. As when my kids were growing up, I don’t always know what is best when I ask for something. God does. I need to stop and remember that when I ask for a fish, He will never give me a snake. Likewise, if I ask for a snake not understanding the danger it holds, He will give me a fish instead because He is a wise and good Father.
The other pattern we see in Jesus’ prayer we here often in Christian circles. Non-believers see it as our excuse for God not doing what we ask of Him, but Jesus’ pattern is clear. “Not My will, but Your will be done.” It’s not the first time Jesus prayed that prayer. He taught His disciples to ask for God’s will to be done when shared a model prayer. He wanted us to realize God’s plan, His will, His desires take precedence over ours. He is God. We are not.
When we figure out that God is God and a perfect Father for His children we can accept, as Jesus did, whatever response we get from our requests to Him. We know He will give us what we need to grow closer to Him. We know He will help us grow and mature in our spiritual life. We know He will prepare us to perform the tasks He has in store for us. We know as a loving, wise Father, He will give us His best since He has already given us His best by giving us His Son for our deliverance.
So does God answer prayer? You bet! Does He always give us what we want? I hope not. Does He give us what’s best for us? Every time. He has our best in mind. If we will remember that one simple fact, like Jesus, we can accept His answers, not matter what they might be.
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