Several weeks ago, the pastor addressed adding the above tagline to the end of a prayer. His determination was that this term was non-biblical and that he was not going to use it any longer. The argument made was that we use this tagline as a disclaiimer because we really don’t believe that God is capable of doing what we ask. I thought at the time, yeah, that is a very good point and true.
After further reflection and contemplation, I’m not so certain about that. I’ve thought about it often and have decided that while it may be true in some cases, as a general rule I don’t think that it is. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you don’t believe it will happen, then it won’t, I’m okay with that part of the argument. What I’m talking about is the desire to truly have God’s will done; if that is your goal in prayer, then what is wrong with the tagline? Is is really any different than saying, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven? I think not.
Why write this today, you ask? Well, BIL called last night and his mother in law had a heart attack and they were at the hospital. He asked for prayer. So, as I’m praying for healing, in the back of my mind I’m thinking, you know what, maybe it isn’t the time for healing. She’s been sick for an awful long time. What will be healed? This particular incident or am I asking God to renew her youth? In light of the fact that we have free will to live our lives as we choose, could it be that choices made earlier in life have led to this point? Could it be that her illness brings her into God’s grace? Her family? God can and does use anything to bring us closer to Him. So, again, what am I praying for? Without the tagline, it almost seems to be demanding, as in Heal her, dammit!
So, I don’t think I’ll be so critical of myself if I slip that in because, truly, I don’t know what to pray for in those circumstances. Late.
Isn’t there some place in the Bible (or maybe it’s in a song from our youth) where Jesus is praying and he says, “Not my will, but thine be done?”
Certainly is, this is while Jesus was praying in the garden shortly before his execution Matthew 26:39 specifically. The pastor’s position is that when we add the word “if”, it reflects doubt on our part. Language parsing is not one of my strong points, I just think that perhaps the language has changed enough to allow for us to use this phrase in the same manner as Jesus. Probably just a technical disagreement.