How should we pray? | Westside Eagle Observer

"Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed...." Luke 7:6-7 (Read Luke 7:1-10)

How should we come to God in prayer? Do we come to God and expect Him to grant our prayers because of our works and worthiness? Many would tell us that we should come to God "in faith" and demand that He grant our petitions, and some would even accuse us of a lack of faith if our petitions are not granted in the way or manner we asked of God. But who does Jesus hold up as an example of one praying in faith? He holds up a Roman centurion.

The elders of the Jews came to Jesus with the petition of the centurion for his sick servant, urging Jesus to come because the centurion was worthy. The centurion loved the Jewish people and had even built a synagogue for the Jews.

And when Jesus went with them, what happened? The centurion sent word to Jesus, saying, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

The centurion, though accustomed to giving orders, did not count himself worthy to come to Jesus or demand that Jesus come and lay hands on his sick servant and heal him. Rather, he acknowledged that he was unworthy to ask anything of Jesus or to have Jesus come under the roof of his home. But he did have faith in Jesus as the Son of God. He knew and believed it was not necessary for Jesus to come to his house. Jesus could just say the word and His servant would be healed.

Jesus "marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, 'I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!'"

What does this teach us about how we come to God in prayer? Are we worthy because of our works and service? Not at all! When we do serve the Lord Jesus, we are only humble servants doing the will of our Master. Can we come to the Lord Jesus with our prayers? Most certainly! He won for us that right and privilege when He died on the cross for our sins and rose again (cf. 1 John 5:14-15; Galatians 3:26ff.; Romans 8:14-17; Hebrews 10:19ff.).

Can Jesus answer our prayers without coming visibly into our homes and lives? Yes! He is the Son of God and can just say the word, and it will be done (cf. Genesis 1; Jeremiah 32:17). He is still the Son of God who urges us to pray and promises to answer (cf. Matthew 7:7ff.; 28:20; John 14:8-11,13-14; James 1:5ff.; 4:2ff.).

Does He desire to grant our petitions? Yes, He healed the centurion's servant (v. 10); and, a few verses later, raised the dead son of a widow woman at Nain even before she asked. God's Word tells us in Isaiah 65:24: "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear."

Dear Lord Jesus, grant us humbleness and faith to trust You for life and salvation and to come to You in prayer, for the sake of Your cross. Amen.

Editorial on 05/04/2016