“Unanswered” Prayer.

One of the great difficulties of the Christian life is the tension between the belief that God hears our prayers, and the apparent reality that He doesn’t always answer them! Recently, I have been reading in the Old Testament book of Daniel during my private devotions (aka Quiet Time). I have also been reading a book, loaned to me by a new friend. The book is entitled “God on Mute”, and is written by a young man named Pete Greig, who is a church-planter, based in Guildford, Surry.

The two came together, when Pete Greig made reference to one of the better-known events recorded by Daniel – the three young men who were cast into a furnace that had been heated to seven times its normal temperature, because they would not submit to the worship of an image set up by a human king, but only to YHWH the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their words are full of godly defiance: “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan 3:16-18).

Pete Greig comments: “The paradox of faith is encapsulated in this rousing speech. On one hand, the three young men assert that ‘the God we serve is able to save.’ What’s more, they believe that God is not just able but also willing to intervene miraculously on their behalf, declaring, ‘He will rescue us from your hand.’ But on the other hand, having made these unequivocal statements of faith, they add, ‘but even if He does not … we will not serve your gods.’ In the first part of their speech we see that [they] have faith for a miracle, and this is impressive. But then we see that they also have faith of a deeper kind altogether – faith to endure suffering should the miracle not happen.” (God on Mute, 2007, Kingsway Communications, Eastbourne. p.155)

This is the kind of faith that is exercised, on a daily basis, by those who are termed “the persecuted church”. I don’t pretend to understand it; I trust that, if I am ever in that sort of situation, that I will be given the grace to exhibit it. What about you?