Mark 11:24 – 25

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

From eating poisonous berries to driving without a licence and so many requests in between I have had to deny my daughters’ requests. My daughter also told me yesterday, that when she was little, she had prayed that there would be donuts under her pillow when she woke up. She believed fiercely and was very disappointed when there were none under the pillow in the morning.

From my understanding of the whole Bible, I know that the ‘whatever’ in this verse means “whatever accords with God’s will”.  I can’t be certain that God will supply my specific requests because I don’t understand everything…just like a little child doesn’t. Even if I pray for something good like protection, I can’t be sure he will give that. Elisabeth Elliot, whose husband was murdered by the Auca Indians, wrote: “Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering .,. The love of God did not protect His own Son … He will not necessarily protect us – not from anything it takes to make us like His Son.”

What I can be sure of is that I can take all my prayer and petitions to him and believe and know that he is a good God, a good King, a loving Father, and he will answer in a way that is best. So, in this assurance that he knows what’s best I rest…I will seek God’s will and His kingdom, and I trust in him that all these other things that I may need will be added to me.

Petrina Rangiawha – Creek Road