True Rest

In the news a few months ago, the headline read, "Police: Girl Dies after Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help." [1] As Christians, this headline reminds us that there are certain responsibilities involved in prayer, and in recognizing the answers to prayer. When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness Satan told Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over You,'" (Matthew 4:6). Jesus responds by saying, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God'" (Matthew 4:7). Jesus demonstrates that just because one part of the Scriptures makes a promise, we should not try to force God to act.
Often we try to put God on the spot, and make Him perform, and justify this behavior by saying, "We are given promises, and told not to doubt." Yes, but, this is not completely accurate, and our responsibility does not stop there.
First, we must realize that we are not the authors of our reality, or God's reality. Rather, He is the author of our reality. Second, God is sovereign. We do not command Him, even with His own word. We pray and we have faith based upon those promises, then we continue on, and we look for the response to our prayers. Yet, how do we recognize answers to prayer?
There are many illustrations of God answering our prayers, even as we refuse to recognize the answer. For example, remember the story about the man hanging in the hole, praying for help. God tells him, "Let go," and then the man screams, "Anyone else up there?" In reality, we find that the man was only a few inches from the bottom.
Or consider the story about the person on the roof of the house in the flood begging God to be rescued; then refusing the help of others because (s)he was waiting for God to help.
Was the girl in the headline news story another event where a child died needlessly because her parents did not recognize the answer to prayer? Had the girl's parents taken her to the hospital, she probably would have been healed. God would have answered their prayer, just not in the way they demanded.
It has been reported that the girl's mother believes that her daughter can still be resurrected. Yes, the girl will be resurrected, but not until the end of time. Meanwhile, what happens to the weak in faith? What happens to those seeking? What happens to the faith of the parents? Because of this incident, the Christian witness has been tarnished, and we look like unreasonable fanatics. How tragic.
In order to prevent another such tragedy, we are required as Christians to ask: What is the lesson to be learned from this misfortune? After all, there is a reason that God did not intervene with a miraculous healing in the way that the parents were expecting. Did they fulfill all their responsibilities?
Was it their faith as they have concluded? The apostles believed that the sins of the parents could affect a child, but Jesus told them that sometimes it is the works of God that are being revealed (John 9:1-18). So, is God revealing something to us?
Let us review: We know that when we pray for healing, we are to expect an answer and seek that answer in the reality within which we live. However, we must also say as Jesus did, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).
So we ask in faith, and we acknowledge the sovereignty of God. We give God room to work in whatever venue He desires. We then remember never to tempt the Lord our God. If God has promised, then He will deliver on His promise, whether we can see that deliverance or not. Abraham understood this when he offered up his son upon the altar. Yet, God intervened. Abraham looked around and there was the ram in the thicket (Genesis 22:13).
What would have happened had Abraham killed Isaac rather than accept the ram from the thicket? Do we as Christians sometimes refuse to accept the ram from the thicket? Is it a refusal to accept God's plan? Is it lack of faith? Or, is it something else? Abraham could have refused the ram, killed Isaac, and then demanded resurrection to fulfill the promises in Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14).
Is that what happened in the story with the parents? Did they refuse to see the ram? Why? Were they trying to prove their righteousness?
God accounted Abraham's faith as righteousness though he didn't kill Isaac (Romans 4:21). Why? Because Abraham knew God, and he knew that God was testing him to find out where his loyalties lay. Abraham demonstrated to himself and God that nothing was more important than God: Not his son, his reputation, his righteousness, or his sovereignty.
Abraham understood God. Abraham knew that God did not like human sacrifice. Abraham knew that God always accepted animals in lieu of the required sacrifice (Genesis 4:4). God valued human life, such that He was the first to shed blood for the sake of man (Genesis 3:21).
This is the final responsibility when praying for miracles, like Jesus and Abraham, we have to know God. We have to know all about God by knowing Scripture. Otherwise, how can we recognize His works? How can we accept His works, if we can't even recognize them?
Knowing Scripture is so vitally important to our faith. If we do not know Scripture, how then can we say that we have faith? Faith in whom and in what? Jesus states,
"…Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).
In order to receive the promises, to receive the answer to our prayers, to receive true rest, we need to go to God in faith; but unless we know Scripture we have no faith, and without faith there is no righteousness.
[1] Associated Press, "Police: Girl Dies after Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help," Fox News, March 26, 2008, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,341574,00.html, accessed March 26, 2008.