The Tribune

By Rev Dr J Emmett Weir

President Emeritus of the Conference of the Methodist Church in the Bahamas and

Turks and Caicos

DOES God answer my prayers, even when they are weak, lacking in favour and lacking in depth? Questions such as these have certainly been the concern of saints and sinners alike throughout the ages.

The answer is by no means easy, and perhaps we may become discouraged when we feel that our prayers are not answered.

Well, cheer up! For the late Rev Dr Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers of the church, deals with just these questions in his profound meditation. On our scripture reading for today: "Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayers." (Psalm 66:20)

So let me share it with you.

On looking back upon the character of our prayers, if we do honestly, we shall be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance, as the Pharisee did, but the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over his prayers, and if he could retrace his steps he would desire to pray more earnestly.

Remember, Christian, how cold your prayers have been? When in your prayer room you should have wrestled as Jacob did; but instead your petitions have been faint and few - far removed from that humble, believing, preserving faith, which cries, "I will not let You go unless You bless me."

Yet, wonderful to say, God has heard these cold prayers of yours, and not only heard, but answered them. Reflect also how infrequent your prayers have been, unless you have been in trouble, and then you have gone often to the mercy seat. But when deliverance has come, where has your constant supplication been?

Yet in spite of the fact that you have stopped praying as you once did, God has not ceased to bless. When you have neglected the mercy seat, God has not delivered it, but the bright light of the Shekinah has always been visible between the wings of the cherubim.

Oh, it is marvellous that the Lord should regard those intermittent spasms of insistent request which come and go with our necessities. What a God is He thus to hear the prayers of those who come to Him when they have pressing wants, but neglect Him when they have received a mercy; who approach Him when they are forced to come, but almost forget to address Him when mercies are plentiful and sorrows are few. Let His gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may henceforth be found to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests".

Here we are assured that our prayers are answered by God no matter how weak or unsatisfactory they must feel to us. What is required most of all in prayer are two closely related virtues - humility and sincerity.

In the parable of the proud Pharisee and the humble publican, Jesus emphasised this profound proof. The Pharisee approached God in prayer boasting of his achievements. And even pouring scorn on the publican, whom he regarded as a sinner. But the Publican simply prayed that God would accept his prayer acknowledging that he is a sinner. The prayer of the humble Pharisee provided to be more effective than that of the proud Pharisee.

This goes to assure us that God does answer our prayers... so long as they are offered in humility and sincerity. For, in the final analysis, sincerity, not solemnity, is the hallmark of the true faith in God. Continue then to persevere in prayer, confident that God will answer them when he approaches Him in sincerity and humility.

• The thought for today: God answers all our prayers. Sometimes the answer is "Yes!" Sometimes His answer is "No!"

And sometimes the answer is, "You must be kidding." (Attributed to President Jimmy Carter, elder statesman, Baptist Sunday school teacher)

• Prayer for today:

"Holy Spirit prompt us when we kneel to pray.

Nearer come and teach us what we ought to say!"

- Children's Whitsuntide Hymn