In our previous meditation, we referred to an immigrant who felt there was no need to pray any longer since his new found system caters for his needs. We noted that he has the wrong view of prayer. Praying to have needs met constitute only the elementary purpose of prayer. Arguably, prayer is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible. It is also safe to say that it is one of the most abused in Christendom. Many people think that prayer is a way to settle scores with a perceived enemy. This is why you hear many people engage in prayer of imprecation. Those with this mindset want to enlist God in their desire for vengeance. Others think that by praying earnestly, God will agree to change His will. For them it is not about the will of God being done on earth; it is about the will of man being done by Heaven. This misplaced perspective is the reason why the prayers of many people have been less potent.

…God does not answer all prayers…Whenever any request will bring ridicule to God’s name or a snare to us, God reserves the right to turn it down.

David certainly wanted prayer and fasting to alter the will of God. God had earlier proclaimed that the illegitimate child born to him by Bathsheba would die. It was that verdict that David tried to overturn in prayer. The child eventually died on the seventh day into his fast. We learn from here that God does not answer all prayers. The reason why David’s prayer was turned down was obvious. The child was already a cause for people to blaspheme God. Had the child lived, there would have been occasion for continuous blasphemy. Add to that the sneer that would trail the child. So there is a caveat to prayers: Whenever any request will bring ridicule to God’s name or a snare to us, God reserves the right to turn it down.