May 28th, 2007

Closer than a Friend

Read Matthew 6:5-15 and 1 Kings 18:16-39

"...do not keep on babbling like pagans..." vs. 7

It's like the ultimate showdown. Elijah stands atop Mt. Carmel with about 850 pagan prophets and issues the challenge. "I will bet you that my God sends fire upon the altar and your gods will do nothing." Elijah encourages the prophets of Baal to begin by calling upon their gods. For hours and hours these prophets pray and call out to their gods. When their gods fail to respond they weep, cry out loudly, and even cut themselves. They go on babbling like pagans do when they realize their god is without the power or strength to make things happen. They go on babbling like pagans do when they aren't sure their gods can even hear them. They go on babbling like pagans do when they aren't even sure their gods exist.

After these prophets have thrown in the towel...discouraged and exhausted, Elijah stands before the masses and prays a simple prayer, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." Elijah offers a simple, humble, yet confident prayer. There is no mention of him going on and on in attempt to convince God or ensure that He is listening. There is a unswerving confindence that Elijah has the ear of God and that there is already an awareness in the heart of God of Elijah's need. What is the result of such a prayer. God shows up and proves Himself faithful...

Jesus tells his listeners, "Do not pray like the pagans who babble on and on." What is Jesus telling us? Babbling prayers doubt the power and strength of God to make things happen. Babbling prayers doubt that God cares to even hear our requests. Babbling prayers in essence seem to doubt the very existence of God. As followers of Jesus, as worshippers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we have been given a certain confidence to approach the One who is above all things recognizing that He is not somewhere way off in the distance, but that He is close. He is so close, closer than a friend, who knows what is in our hearts before we even open our mouths. The mere expression of what He knows already is our confession that we are readily in need of Him. We needn't babble on an on with insecurity and doubt. We have his attention. We have been given permission to stand before Him and present our requests with "thanksgiving in our hearts" knowing that "the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."