Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Reasonableness is a common thread of our culture. In law, the reasonable man is used as a starting point to determine negligence and liability. In accounting, a reasonableness test is used to evaluate the various line items of the financial statements to determine how much needs to be reviewed or tested. In culture, we use “average behaviors” to determine what is reasonable. Christ tells us to lay all of our concerns before our Lord and Paul adds that we should come boldly before God. While our church culture or past experiences may encourage us to be reasonable or polite in our prayers, scripture dictates both by instruction and example that we should, in fact, take a bold approach.
Personally, I am not typically a bold person; my natural bent is passive and introverted. Any appearance of bold or confident behavior is learned and predominantly serves to promote survival and to live well. Historically, that natural bent has been evident in my prayer life as well. Like many of us, I tend to pray about the things that impact me or are most concerning to me. My relationship with God, my family and my friends’ needs are the most popular subjects. As I’ve matured in faith, God has been convicting me pray with broader scope and with more bold requests as they tend to expand my awareness and bring greater glory to God. The following prayer of Ezra is an example of God encouraging me to come boldly before Him.
But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God; and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. Ezra 9:5-6
As a priest and scribe, Ezra recognized the sin of the returning exiles in that they had been unfaithful to God by intermarrying with the various godless nations. Note Ezra’s prayer goes beyond what we would consider reasonable or his responsibility. He didn’t just say “God forgive my sins” (vague and general) nor did he list his specific sins. He looked beyond himself and took responsibility to confess the sins of the nation. Even then he didn’t merely address the current sins, but rather included the sins of the Jews going back to “the days of our fathers”. In his confession he was bold, broad and vulnerable. In this prayer, he is not only repenting, but he is also honoring God by recognizing His holiness and how the sins of the nation have inhibited the relationship that God deeply desires to have with it. As I look at the sins of our culture as we turn from God’s law, murder the unborn and promote what is abhorrent to God, I am challenged to pray for our nation in a similar fashion.
Now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God. 2 Kings 19:19
The prelude to this passage is that Hezekiah is fearful of the Assyrians who want to destroy Judah. Consequently, Hezekiah went to the temple to request God’s assistance. In reading the passage one sees that prior to making his request, the king honors God in both his posture and His praise. While he is certainly seeking deliverance for his kingdom, he is also desires that “the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God.” He is concerned not only for their safety but for God’s honor. We see a similar attitude in Deuteronomy 9:28 when Moses intercedes on behalf of the Israelites after they made the golden calf. Bold prayers not only seek to fulfill a human need but also seek to proclaim God as God Almighty and Lord over all…the only living and true God.
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. Acts 12:5
James the brother of John had been murdered by Herod. Seeing that it pleased the Jews, he also had Peter arrested. As Peter sat in prison, he was well guarded. From the perspective of the church, asking for Peter’s release was a bold prayer. To recognize this, one needs to look no farther than the response of the people in the house that Peter goes to after he is miraculously delivered. When Rhoda tells them that he is at the gate, their comment was “You are out of your mind!” (Acts 12:15) Again, not only did this prayer address a human need both for Peter and the early church, but as a bold prayer, it honored God by recognizing God ability to do what is humanly impossible.
“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42
“Thy will be done” is a common way to close a prayer. We learn this from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as He is about to be arrested and crucified. It is an element of the bold prayer that should not be overlooked. This short phrase is another way that we honor our Heavenly Father. We come before Him boldly and with faith, but we also come recognizing His sovereignty, authority and wisdom. Hidden in this phase is the statement that “God I know that your are able, but I recognize that Your wisdom and sovereignty may dictate a different outcome that is for Your glory and my good, therefore, I submit my will to Yours.”
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
As a new parent, I like many other parents began to pray for my daughters’ husbands…a very reasonable and necessary prayer request. A few years ago as a father and grandfather concerned for the salvation of my family I broadened the scope of my prayer. Convicted of the need to come more boldly before God and more aware of His desire to reveal His power in my life, I began to pray beyond what I know. Rather than praying for just my wife, daughters, sons-in-laws, and grandsons, I started praying for the salvation of all of our descendants whether they are born to, married into, or adopted by any form into our family. I have no idea how many people I am praying for and statistically there are likely to be some lost. However, I know that my God is able. I also pray that each generation will take seriously the need to train the next generation to love the Lord. That was the start. While I am certainly not at the level of Moses, Hezekiah, Ezra, the early church or our Savior, I am growing and learning as the Holy Spirit convicts me and leads me.
God wants us to bring all of our needs before Him boldly and with faith. The bold prayer is not an arrogant prayer or a demanding one. It is a prayer that requests the fulfillment of a seemingly impossible human need or desire while honoring God. When the matter is settled, we proclaim God’s power and goodness no matter that outcome trusting in His divine wisdom and plan. As Christians, we recognize that the end result will be for God’s glory and our good. I have seen this in my life and I pray that you can recognize this as well.