Praying Audaciously

Years ago, when my son Andrew was about 6 or 7, the biggest number he could possibly conceive of was 1,000,000.  In his mind, this number was so big that nothing could possibly be bigger or greater.  At times we would ask him questions that involved quantity.  When he wanted to answer an enormous amount, he would say, “There’s a millions of ‘em.”

Dad:         “Andrew, how many home runs has Chipper Jones hit?”  

Andrew:     “He hit a millions of ‘em.”

 

Mom:        ”Andrew, how many ants were crawling around the sidewalk?”

Andrew:     “There’s a millions of ‘em.”

You get the picture?  In his little mind, a million was the biggest number that could possibly be conceived of.  And, though a million is a large number, there are certainly many numbers much larger than it.  Andrew thought he was thinking of the largest amount possible, and he was only beginning to think of a large amount.  There were MUCH larger amounts available that he could not even imagine.  

We are oftentimes like that with God.  In John 6 Jesus had been followed by an enormous crowd into the mountains.  He asks Philip in 6:5, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”  Jesus was allowing Philip a test.

Philip surveyed the crowd, and saw the thousands of people sitting out there.  Philip, in his mind, could not conceive of a possibility that would allow for Jesus and his disciples to feed these people.  In fact, Philip, in his wildest imagination, could not think of a plan where feeding all these people fit.

So…in answer to Jesus’ question, Philip conjured up the largest, most preposterous and insanely ridiculous sum he could imagine and said, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”   This was an enormous sum in Philip’s mind.  It was as if Philip said, “Even if we had a millions of ‘em, it is not enough.”  Then Philip sat back satisfied that he had addressed the question with sufficient hyperbole.

After Andrew, in 6:8, suggests they have a few fishes and loaves, Jesus does the insanely unreasonable.  He proceeds to feed all the people to such an extent that many pieces are left over.  In fact, according to the Scriptures Jesus feeds over 5,000 men (which means there were probably more like 8,000-10,000 people) with more food than they could all eat. He feeds them, not with 200 denarii worth of food but maybe with 2,000 or 2,000,000 denarii worth.

When the miracle was done, Jesus had accomplished that which – not only was beyond the imagination of the disciples – it was beyond the very capabilities of their imaginations to see.  Jesus did not do that which was beyond what they disciples thought.  He did that which was beyond what the disciples were capable of thinking.  

Day to day we have, in our minds, what we believe God is capable of.  And, for those who know Christ, we often think of the biggest and greatest things God might do.  However, what we sometimes fail to realize is that, not only do we not imagine the greatest things God can do, but we are incapable of imagining the greatest that God can do.  Our finite minds are incapable of conceiving of all that God is able to accomplish.

So…what is the answer?  Here it is.  Our solution is to trust wholly in God for the unreasonable. Our calling is to rest in Christ for the unattainable.  Our key is to fully trust in Jesus for the unthinkable.  In 2012, let us allow our prayers to be audacious and unreasonable.  And in those times of prayer, do not think that we have fully conceived of all that God can do.  Simply trust in God to do that which we have not even begun to consider…nor can we.  

PRAY PRAYERS THAT TRUST IN WHAT WE CANNOT EVEN CONCEIVE OF GOD DOING.  HE IS FAR BEYOND CAPABLE OF WHAT WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE!

 

God Bless,

Dr. J