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YOU DID NOT ASK
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
James 4:2-3

Luke 11:9-13

 

“…Ask, and it shall be given you…”

 

YOU DID NOT ASK
 
Prayer is the most potent means for Christians in doing things. Its effectiveness does not lie in our prayerfulness nor the eloquence of our words. It is powerful because it seeks the all-powerful God to fulfil what we ask according to His will. According to God’s decrees, every prayer will permanently be established and perfectly done according to His purposes.
 
You lust, and have not: The verb epithumeoo (to lust) refers to having a desire or longing, but the context clarifies that the desire mentioned here is inordinate, misdirected, and sinful. James does not refer to any specific object of desire (doubtless because the particular entity does not matter as far as his point here is concerned). When any strong, sinful lust is not gratified, the worldly person is prone to lash out in angry frustration, sometimes even to murder.
 
You kill and cannot obtain: To “kill” translates the verb phoneuoo, which, in this context, could include murderous hatred, extremely destructive behaviour, and even suicide. When a person cannot achieve his desired goals, whether for reputation, prestige, sexual gratification, money, power or whatever, the result is catastrophic to others and always destructive to oneself. Because of the lust to fulfil his will, he is ready to murder others just to achieve his aim. This is, of course, devilish, and though evil people may succeed temporally, their eternal damnation awaits them because of their sinful desires.
 
Dear reader, we pray amiss when our aims and ends are not proper under God’s will. Let us not pray and ask for blessings to indulge our lusts and pleasures. If we do this, we ask amiss and are sure to miss. We must guard our affections and be sure of our intentions in prayers. James says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss…” (James 4:3). He did not say that they did not pray, but that their prayers with the wrong motives are the same as not praying!
 
THOUGHT: Am I praying amiss?
PRAYER: Father, teach me to pray aright that I may seek after only the things according to Thy holy will.

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