Remember, Pray, Request

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

In 1970, while serving in the Viet Nam conflict, I failed to reply to letters from home. It wasn’t always so easy to write under the circumstances and stress of the battlefield. Many times, I simply was not mentally and emotionally up to the task. I didn’t know writing to someone I loved might have actually helped me.

I was concerned about causing my parents more pain and worry, so I didn’t reply to all of mom’s letters. I failed to consider that mom and dad would have prayed for me. I did notice, however, that when I didn’t reply to a letter, she would not write again until after she received a letter from me.

When I arrived home after my tour of duty, I asked her, “Mom, why did you stop writing to me?” She looked at me as she spoke, “Because you stopped writing to me. I thought if you didn’t want to talk with me I certainly was not going to trouble you.”

I did not consider that her worry and pain doubled as a result of not getting a reply from her son in a war zone. I did not consider that my failure to reply sent the wrong message to my family. When she didn’t write, I thought, “she doesn’t love me.” But when I didn’t reply to her letters she thought, “What has happened to my boy? Is he alright? Doesn’t he love me anymore? Has he been injured or killed?”

As a pastor, I have learned that we treat God that same way. We pray and make our requests but if He does not reply as soon as we desire, we stop praying. All sorts of confusing, discouraging questions race through our heads. Has he forgotten me? Does he love me or not? Where is he when I need him? Isn’t he concerned about my needs?

Let us remember who He is. Remember that He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Consider that if we desire a response from Him we must talk with Him and let Him know our requests. “You do not have because you do not ask,” (James 4:2).

In modern vernacular we could phrase James’ thought like this, “You do not have your desires because you do not make any requests.” I certainly never want to give God reason to say, “I did not reply because you stopped talking with me.”

Dear Father, thank you for your gift of prayer. Renew our minds and empower the impulse to pray and make our requests known to you. This I ask in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. AMEN

Today remember God, pray and make your requests known to him,