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Prayers in the Bible Abraham's Prayer The History "And Abram said, Lord God, what can You give me, since I am going on [from this world] childless and he who shall be the owner and heir of my house is this [steward] Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram continued, Look, You have given me no child; and [a servant] born in my house is my heir."
As I was researching the first request made of God by man, can you believe that I couldn't find any documentation before Abraham? That alone is deep, isn't it? Not from Adam, Eve, Noah, Enoch or not anyone. Now, of course, there is record of God speaking to them, but not until Abraham did I witness someone approaching the Father with a specific concern or request. The Prayer Genesis 15, introduces us to a dialogue between God and Abraham. First, God was assuring Abraham that He would both bless and protect Him, and although I believe that Abraham was grateful, there was a specific desire on his heart. Abraham wanted a child, and he wasn't afraid to let God know it. "...what can You give me, since I am going on [from this world] childless..." Now, what made Abraham think that God had to give him anything? As it was, God was protecting him and providing for him, which is more than anyone could ask for, and yet for Abraham, it was not enough. He wanted a legacy, a child, a miracle in the form of a human child. Interestingly enough, not only did he make a request, but he even went as far as to put the sole responsibility on God for not granting him his heart's desire: "Look, You have given me no child; and [a servant] born in my house is my heir." Some may consider this bold, while others may chalk it up to total disrespect. How dare Abraham throw a spiritual temper tantrum before his Heavenly Father. If he did not have a child, it must be because God did not want him to. He should simply be silent and trust in the Father's will. The Answer Mmm, I'm not so sure about that. For one, there are many Scriptures in the Bible that encourage us to ask for what we want, in order that it may be granted (Matthew 7:8 is a great example of this). But another reason is because of God's immediate response to Abraham's request: "And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir. And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars--if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be."---Genesis 15:4&5 Abraham requested a child and God told him that he would not only be the father of one child, but of so many people that he would lose count! See, that's just the kind of God that we serve. He goes exceedingly above all we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Although the tone of Abraham's prayer can be left up to interpretation, I think what excited God was that he had what many of us think we are not supposed to have in our communication with God---boldness and honesty. Even with all that God had done for him, there was something else that Abraham felt would make his life happier and more complete. Communicating this fact with God was not about not being grateful for what he did have, but about wanting to pursue what he did not, in hopes that the Father would make a way. Personally, I don't find it to be a coincidence that this was one of the very first prayers recorded in the Bible. Abraham was a servant of God, yes. He was a man with many blessings, yes. But he was also one in need of a specific thing and he had no problem approaching God and asking Him for it. Not only that, but his desire required a miracle. Remember, both he and Sarah were considered too old for childbearing. He went to the One he knew could deliver! Now, catch this. When Abraham came to God, God was not offended. He did not make him wait for years on end for a reply. And no matter how self-motivated the desire was, God did not shun his request. This is a lesson we all can learn in our daily prayer life. No matter what traditional jargon you may have heard or been taught, as we start off a new year, know this. When we are living a life in consistent communication and submissive humility to God, He delights in our requests---no matter how personal or impossible they may seem to us or others. See, what so often tends to happen is that when we desire something, we go about getting it without consulting God at all for fear of His answer to our request. Sure, sometimes we do not get what we want because it is not God's will for us, but I am coming to realize that more times than not, we delay our desires, simply because God's method's are very different from ours. Its not always that He does not want to give us what we want, its that He wants to give it the way and in the time that He deems best, so that it can bless us rather than curse us. What I love about Abraham is that he had such a burning desire for a child, that he didn't come to God with somoene else's prayers or some complex poetic recitation of what He thought God would like to hear. No, he was real, genuine and honest. And God did not delay in His response to Abraham because God considered him to be an obedient servant, someone God held close to His heart, someone who God took pleasure in giving to. So, what did Abraham do after God assured him of his request? Well for one, verse 6 states that he believed God. Then he asked God for evidence, a sign, for the necessary steps that he needed to take to make it a possibility. This is so key. So often God will grant us a "yes", or the "thumbs up" on our desires and then we just sit and wait for Him to manifest it. More times than not, it requires our spiritual muscle to push it through. In Abraham's situation, it required him making a sacrifice (verse 9&10). Please, don't miss this point! After you have asked for what you want and after God has said yes, you must believe that it will happen and oftentimes, you must make the necessary sacrifices to receive it. So often, we make a request of God forgetting His order of operation. We must give in order to receive. So what is it that you want from God this week? Are you living a life in submission to Him so that your communication is not hindered? Have you asked Him, believing you will receive a response? Have you asked Him of the steps you need to take to make your dreams a reality by making a sacrifice? Remember, God is our greatest resource and nothing is impossible for Him. Its time that we stop worrying about what we think can't have and begin focusing on how to get what we know we can! Ask Abraham how...he'll tell you. Shellie R. Warren/2003
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