Prayer or Obedience?
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 (NLT)
“I will pray about it.” Is it used as a trump card, or is it an excuse for inaction or disobedience? We will not claim that every time someone responds with “I will have to pray about the matter,” it is an insincere attempt to deflect responsibility. However, there are many situations that do not require prayer, but obedience.
Prayer is good. We are instructed to “pray without ceasing” or “pray about everything.” This suggests that we do not need to seek guidance for actions that are explicitly directed in Scripture.
As a parent, how would you react if after telling your child to do their homework, or to clean up their room, they responded, “let me first pray about it.” Can you imagine the woman who was caught in the act of adultery in John 8 responding to Jesus’ command, “Go, and sin no more,” replying that she would give it “prayerful consideration?”
I am not belittling prayer, and there are times when we must discern the will of God for our lives. Or we know what to do, but we don’t know how to fulfill the task, it is time to pray. We can pray for strength to obey the things that Jesus commands us to do, but we need to stop praying about things that we know we must do obediently, and in the words of the famous corporate slogan, “Just Do It.”
A Time for Action?
But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. Matthew 7:26 (NLT)
When Paul tells us to “pray about everything,” there will be times when we do not know what to do, just as there are times we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). There will be times when we do not understand how we are to apply the teachings of Jesus in our lives. But once we understand, it is time to act, not pray.
We find another example in the Old Testament. Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (CSB). We never need to pray about acting with justice, loving faithfulness, or walking humbly with God.
It is absurd to think that we would need to pray about acting upon the clear teaching of the word of God. We can pray for strength to do those things when it seems difficult, or in times when we have been so wounded by someone else that showing them the love of God is beyond our natural capacity.
When the Master gives a command or invitation, we must act. But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me…’ Luke 14:18 (NLT). In our mind our excuses may be legitimate, but when God gives us a command, obedience is the only proper response. This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ Jeremiah 7:23 (NLT)
The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly
“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. Luke 12:47–48 (NLT)
Life is filled with a mixture of activities and assignments. Some things are very pleasant, and we do not have to be asked twice, and we are ready. But there is also the menial, mundane, and even unpleasant tasks set before us.
In general, we are more likely to respond to unpleasant tasks with “I’ll have to pray about it,” than to opportunities that carry honor and prestige. It’s human nature.
However, it even goes beyond doing the things that we are asked to do. A good servant in the master’s household actively looks for what needs to be done. Of course, Jesus gave us the supreme example: So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:4–5 (NLT)
No one else seemed to be prepared to do what was necessary. Foot washing was a task left to the lowliest of servants, but Jesus assumed the role of a servant. There is no indication that he prayed before putting the towel around his waist, he saw that something was neglected, and he did it.
It was a teaching moment: I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. John 13:15 (NLT).
It’s All About Attitude
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2 (NLT)
Jesus told his disciples, “Watch and pray.” Customarily, we bow our heads and close our eyes when we pray, but that should not always be the case. Prayer and action go together. Prayer does not dull our senses or make us oblivious to the needs around us.
An effective prayer life will sharpen our minds to see the needs around us. Prayer is more than asking God to give us what we need and want. Prayer’s primary purpose is to get our hearts in alignment and agreement with God. In the garden, Jesus prayed, “I want your will to be done, not mine.”
We pray for discernment and direction, but it is with an eye toward action and obedience. Here is a stanza from a great hymn which sums it up:
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
We must be people of prayer, so that we are ready to respond to the needs of the world around us.
Steve Ekeroth