Selfish Prayer January 5, 2015

³ So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”  John 11:3 ESV

How often do we pray selfishly?  Not intentionally selfish, but still with our self-interests in mind.  

Over this Christmas Break, Kristi and I have attended one funeral, made one hospital visit, and have one more hospital visit planned.  Of course in all these cases prayers for healing have been offered up.  In the first case, the healing was God's perfect healing, in the other cases, we are still awaiting the outcome.

Sunday school lists are filled with prayer requests for people to get well.  Cancers cured.  Pain relieved.  Hospital beds emptied.

But what if God's greater glory was to be served by a linger illness?  What if a person were to be brought to Christ by what he heard at a funeral service?

If the prayer of a"righteous person is powerful and effective", (James 5:16 ESV) then what if we pray for God's "good" but not His "best"?  Could we be working against God's best when "the prayer offered in faith makes the sick person well."  James 5:15 ESV

For a Christian, death is the ultimate healing.  Passing from this world into the next is a glorious journey to perfection, praise, and peace.  Believers leave behind suffering, doubt, and pain.  

When Martha and Mary scolded Jesus for allowing Lazarus to die, they were thinking of their own self-interest.  We miss Lazarus.  We are sad he has died.  We are upset.  Would Jesus have restored Lazarus had Mary and Martha thanked God for allowing Lazarus to be in heaven?  How would Jesus have reacted if praise had been given for the release Lazarus had received from his suffering and his transformation to perfection?

I am not advocating "death prayers" for all who are sick.  I won't stand up in Sunday School and announce the prayer requests for health and recovery are heretical.  But I do think we need to be careful of inserting our wants and will into our prayers.  Our prayers should be one of kingdom furtherance, not self-interest.  What will win people to Christ, not what will make us feel better.