Because 50 Day 5
Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:14-15
14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, help me to daily care about the things you want me to care about.
Going Deeper:
God desires that we would have confidence in our relationship to Him. John reminds us that we have access to the God of the universe and we can have confidence in approaching him. Pastor and theologian Tim Keller writes, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.”
What does John teach about prayer in this passage? Do these verses mean that we can ask for anything and receive it? What lines does John draw on the prayer?
Keller continues to teach on prayer by writing: “Prayer is the way to experience a powerful confidence that God is handling our lives well.” John reminds us that the goal of prayer is to align our hearts to the will of God, trusting that the God who made us, shaped us and saved us is good enough to sustain us for each step of the path he has for us. Prayer has the ability to teach us to trust God more, for greater things, while also teaching us to trust God now, in the mundane things. What are you praying about right now? How are you learning to align your desires to His will?
If you’d like to learn more about prayer, a great resource is Keller’s book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God.