A wish and/or a prayer?

What’s a wish?

The saying, “I wish that were true.” Putting a coin into a fountain. A birthday cake.

What’s a prayer?

In basketball, times is going out, 3, 2, 1 and a player is on almost the opposite side of the court, throwing the ball as hard as they can to the basket. It’s an impossible shot, and so you’ll hear the announcer say, “Smith throws up a prayer”?

Is that really a prayer? Or is that a wish? Or a desperate effort?

Words are a gift from God that allow us as humans to name things, it helps us use items, helps us know how to use them and what they can actually do.

But if someone brings you into a kitchen and points out the device next to the fridge as an oven you are going to be very frustrated when you learn this it is actually a microwave.

Words mater, are understanding of the words matter because it lets us know what they should be so

Challenge: Define 1) wish and then 2) prayer on a piece of paper

remember you can’t use wish or pray in the definition.

What harm could come from thinking prayer is wish and wish is prayer?

I remember the tears that welled up in her eyes and she wondered if God was real. The tears came from loss, hear wonderful grandmother whom she loved very much died even though she prayed really hard. Another’s rampage of tears as she screamed in frustration as to why she kept doing things she was ashamed of even though she was praying, could God be real.

If you cook a casserole in an oven with aluminum foil over it, you will get a nice bronzed look to the top of your dish and it will stay warmer longer.

If you cook a casserole with aluminum foil over it in a microwave, you may burn your house down and likely will be getting a new microwave while throwing out the casserole.

Failing to understand that prayers are not wishes can have dipterous consequences.

Disney gave us a working definition of wishes.

Harline Leigh / Washington Ned gave us a definition of wish

When you wish upon a star Makes no difference who you are Anything your heart desires Will come to you

While it is a beautiful song can we all agree that wishing doesn’t bring something about? Especially that a fire of gas billions of miles away has an effect on my ability to win the lottery?

I love Pinocchio the movie where this song comes from. It was my favorite story as a young child when I played my Disney records.

But we would fall short of understanding prayer if our definition of prayer is:

When you pray to God makes no difference who you are anything your heart desires will come to you.

This just isn’t true. Jesus pointed out a person whose prayer is not listened to

Matthew 6:5 CEV

5 When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

Later Jesus gave a storied example of this occuring.

Luke 18:9–13 CSB

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’

Think about how prayer works. Like how would you describe a car working. Would you say you put a key in or you push a button if you have a nice newer car and it goes.

But that isn’t exactly how it works is it? There is an engine of some sort, pistons or something turning those wheels, the closer you get to a Tesla the less I have any idea how that car actually works

You can definitely break a car so it no longer works but can you break a prayer?

No, it’s not a machine.

Honestly many of those who teach that there is a checklist for praying come closer to the show-offs and the Pharisee that to any of the prayers from people in the Bible. You can’t break a prayer because it is isn’t an incantation, a potion, or a machine.

The Bible is full of prayers of women who are crying because they are barren, people being hunted down by their government, people caught in their sin and horrified at the truth of their past.

Have you ever heard that being a Christian is a relationship not a religion.

This is key to understanding prayer. While I think the saying itself is not actually accurate.

Religion is defined as the “belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.”

Obviously we do believe in a controlling power above us, in English called God, who became both man and God in Jesus of Nazareth who was the Christ.

Following Jesus is a religion based in a relationship between God and us which also means you.

Therefore we are a religion, but when you ask most people what they mean is that Christianity is not about a bunch of rules, clothing, incantations or fixed hierarchies. It really isn’t is it. It’s not about what you do or don’t do, what you wear, or exactly what festivals you celebrate. It is about following God in our daily lives, God the father, God the Son who is Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit, what is called the Trinity.

You can’t break prayer because prayer is not a machine. It’s not a potion either, it’s not a scientific concoction.

Prayer is a conversation with God, the trinity itself

Jesus himself related prayer to the relationship He had in the Trinity, with God the Father.

John 5:19–20 The Message

19 So Jesus explained himself at length. “I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. 20 The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing. “But you haven’t seen the half of it yet,

John 5:30–31 The Message

30 “I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. 31 If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness.

Jesus shows us this example, prayer is about having a conversation with God, learning what God is doing, and joining God in that work

Jesus was in an incredibly tight relationship that has been occuring since before time and is still occuring. God, God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit have been having a conversation since the beginning of time and in prayer you are invited into that conversation.

Even more powerful than when kids copy how their parents talk, eat, treat other people, Jesus did what God the father led him to do. He knew this through prayer.

it’s similar, not exactly, but similar to when I have a conversation with a friend who shares what they are doing in their job, in their family, in their lives, and I leave that conversation changed because I know I am going to change my life to either match the good thing they are doing or avoid the mistake they made.

Obviously the difference is my friends are gods, what God is doing is exactly right and if I am going to be obedient, I am going to change everything and join his adventure to match everything He is calling me to do.

Prayer is a conversation, with a deity with such immense power that he controls black holes and super novas and yes does care about you being stuck in traffic or unable to find a proper pair of socks for your day.

No limit. All powerful. All able. All knowing. All caring.

Philemon 6 CSB

6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

Everything on your prayer list, you are able to bring to God in prayer. But it isn’t a wish list, it’s a two-way street. Yes, one where you request of God but one also where God shows you what He is doing. This is the amazing thing about prayer, it is not a way to manipulate God into getting Him to do what you want, but learning what God is going to do and being able to be a part of seeing that truth come to actually happen.

Autism Awareness month just passed but one of the ways that has been created for our friends who don’t talk to learn how to communicate with others is through pictures. These pictures will be learned and easily communicated with anybody in any language. It is amazing to see a child so limited all the sudden start using pictures to show what they really want. Then we take those picture cards and put them in computer programs and our friends can now communicate just about anything with an Ipad or Tablet. It’s very cool. But one of the first ways we teach students how to use these words and this system is by taking something they really, really, like and giving them a picture for that. Then they build a sentence. and they learn how to get someone’s attention and communicate with anyone.

What do you think a 7 or 8 year old really, really, really likes?

Candy.

So let me tell you I spend all week being chased around by little boys showing pictures saying “I want candy” “I want starbursts” “I want skittles” “I want oreos” “I want fruit snacks” “I want starbursts” “I want candy”

We have all kinds of stuff. starbursts, skittles, m&m’s, gummy bears, oreos. I got the right class let me tell you.

But I also have a bunch of other toys, awesome toys, and I have other things that kids like plus I know how to teach them all kinds of amazing things like being able to talk with friends, reading, writing, money, all kinds of stuff. But I have to teach them how to communicate. I could help them have amazing conversations of love and support between them and their parents and friends.

The hard part right now though is my friends have to learn to say more than “I want candy” “I want candy”.

My friends are not much different than you and me.

In your prayer life, you are invited into a conversation, with the God who can provide all things and included in that is meaning in life, purpose, joy, danger, challenge, courage, passion, and so much more. So our prayers can never be broken. They can never be too stupid. I love that my students can pick candy. We celebrated like it was our graduation last week when one of our students pulled the picture for his favorite candy, skittles, and gave it to us. Out of the blue he came up to a staff member and handed that picture to her. It was a huge moment. It was wonderful! I stopped our recess and gave my teacher Oscar award speech. God loves to hear you when you request of him. Even if it’s candy My students are wonderful in my sight. You are more wonderful in God’s sight. No matter what you ask. But there is a lot more God has for you than just your wishes.

Ephesians 1:17–18 CEV

17 I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.

God is also inviting you in to asking Him what He is doing. to allowing him to show you things that actually will last past your life, with beginning a prayer life where you are asking God to show you where He is working so you can, without regard, just go join him in what He is doing in the world.

God is calling on you to broaden what you think of, when you think of prayer.

Jeremiah 33:2–3 CSB

2 “The Lord who made the earth, the Lord who forms it to establish it, the Lord is his name, says this: 3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.

So it’s not a wish. It’s not God must heal whomever is prayed for, if enough people pray in the right way. People still die. Prayer is about getting to experience heaven right here - the power of God, the deliverance of God, the comfort of God, the truth of God

We read a devotional recently, last week actually written by Craig Groeschel

“God’s top priority is drawing people closer to Him. So, if you’re desperately seeking an answer to some big question - “what’s going to happen?” “Where should I go to school?” “Should I date him or her?” - God certainly wants to give you wisdom and help answer those questions but perhaps he isn’t going to immediately whisper in your ear the clear and simple answer you’re hoping for. Maybe he’s going to lead you into His word for answers or have someone speak in your life speak some wisdom or encouragement, or draw you to spend more and more time with Him as you wrestle with the issue.” Sometimes we ask so that we can determine whether we are going to say yes or no. But this overestimates who we actually are and who God is. What if we go into the relationship knowing that God is who He says is good, loving and desiring to bring all good things about. So we actually go in saying whatever you desire Lord my answer is yes.

“When it comes to what you’re asking God, is the priority God’s glory put on display? Are you asking God to make himself known to your friends or to draw you closer to Him? Or are all your prayers focused on what will make your life more comfortable? If you feel like God is being oddly quiet lean into Him and check the substance of your prayers.” By doing so you’re checking the substance of your relationship. “If you’re asking for things that put the spotlight on God, you’re much more likely to hear or see an answer.”

Will you pray with your relationship with God in mind this week. Ask, Seek and Knock. The Lord commands us to do this in prayer.

Next week is mother’s day. We will have opportunity to hear how God has answered prayers. Be prepared to share. Be prepared to listen. God is speaking.

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