Teach us to pray-11

We learned an important truth in last week’s lesson. We don’t always receive the results we pray for even though we may think we should. Jesus is often quoted in this manner.

John 14:14  "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 

But clearly David did not receive what he was asking God to do for him. Why did God not give him this request? That is a very difficult question to answer, but let us review the circumstances. David did evil in the sight of the LORD by being an adulterer with Bathsheba and then having Uriah killed to hide ‘his’ sin.

2 Samuel 11:27  When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD. 

So what is God trying to tell us? Can we sin and ask God to remove both the sin and the consequences? Yes, of course we can, but will God ‘listen’ to both requests? Clearly, our prayers will not always erase our sinful consequences, David’s son died even though David prayed earnestly. Jesus said ask anything, did that literally mean anything or everything? Or does it come with some contextual requirements on us?

God cannot let sin go unpunished, even the sin of believers. We cannot go on sinning without any regard for God’s righteous requirements. Clearly, God should have killed David for his sins carried the ‘death’ penalty, but He didn’t Yet, He told David that his sins would ‘follow’ him for the rest of his life. He would have sons rebel against him, seek his death, try to capture his kingdom, and flaunt themselves at his expense. Here is the list again to review.

2 Samuel 12:9  'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 

12:10  'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' 

12:11  "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 

David did evil in the eyes of God.

David’s actions were seen as despising God’s Word. Remember, David consistently wrote of his love for God’s Word.

David was an adulterer, a murderer, a poor father, and a hypocrite. All of this but God still considered him a ‘Man after My own heart.”

What have we learned?

We must pray that we always do the will of God versus our will.

We must pray with a good, clean heart.

We must repent humbly, but not expect to have no consequences for our sins.

We must ask that whatever we do, say, or think brings glory to God.

More next Saturday.