Praying Through Difficulties
John 11:38-44
“Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” vs. 41
Believing In Prayer
A small Oklahoma town that had two churches and one brewery. Members of both churches complained that the distillery was giving the community a bad image. To make matters worse the owner of the distillery was an out spoken atheist. He didn’t believe in God one bit. The church people had tried unsuccessfully for years to shut down the brewery. So finally they decided to hold a joint Saturday night prayer meeting. They were going to ask God to intervene and settle the matter.
The church folks gathered on Saturday night and there was a horrible thunderstorm raging outside and to the delight of the church members lightening hit that old brewery and it burned to the ground.
The next morning the sermons that were preached in both churches were on the power of prayer. But the insurance adjusters promptly notified the distillery owner that they were not going to pay for the damages because the fire was an act of God and that was an exclusion in their policy. The distillery owner was furious so he sued both churches claiming that they had conspired with God to destroy his business. But the churches denied that they had anything to do with the cause of the fire.
The presiding judge opened the trial with these words: I find one thing in this case most perplexing-we have a situation here where the plaintiff, an atheist is professing his belief in the power of prayer, and the defendants all faithful church members are denying the very same power.
What do we do when prayer works? Let’s look at another prayer of Jesus this morning.
John 11:38-44
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Jesus Is Moved Death
When it comes to prayer, sometimes we struggle with knowing that God actually hears us and even beyond that, that he understands what we are going through. In this passage Jesus has been moving about the country, performing miracles, healing the sick, and proclaiming the Good News. He’s a few miles away and the message comes that his good friend, Lazarus, is sick. He continues on in what he is doing and then when the time is right he goes to visit Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. As he approaches he can hear the wailing and weeping. He had told the disciples earlier that he needed to get here to “wake Lazarus up.” He knew that Lazarus had died. But look again at verse 38:
“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.” vs. 38
Here’s the great thing about this verse. Jesus already knows what is going to happen yet when he hears and sees the situation, he is moved. It affects him. Many times we might think that God doesn’t understand but I believe this shows us he does. He feels what we feel and it moves him.
Ex. I was moved this week by the death of the Vallejo police officer Capoot. He was a good family man, had 3 daughters, adopted some children whose parents were killed, bought a victim of robbery a new TV, etc.
I was moved this week by the death of a young woman that my daughter played soccer with and was married and had a 7 month old baby.
When we hear and see these situations we are moved and we are created in God’s image, He feels it too.
An Understanding Heart
Even more, he understands too. Jesus is so moved in this situation that it comes out in his actions. Look up a few verses to verse 35:
“Jesus wept.” vs. 35
What a moving picture. Jesus cries the same way those around this situation are crying. I think that is a huge blessing to know that when we hurt, it moves God and He understands, He gets it. One of the most difficult situations of life is death, the death of those we love. It leaves a void and cuts us to the core. But God feels and understands that we feel. Isn’t it more comforting when someone understand what we are going through? I know it is for me.
Ex. The death or our dog helps us understand what others go through when their pets died. We felt for them before but having gone through it, we have a deeper understanding.
God knows, understands, and feels what we are giong through because He sent His son and watched him be put to death. He can understand our difficulties.
Jesus Prayer In Difficult Times
This month we are looking at the prayers of Jesus. His prayer life gives us insight to living with his heart. They also show us how to act and react in times of difficulty in our lives. So let’s look at the benefits of prayer in difficult times from Jesus perspective.
- Prayer Is An On-Going Process
First, let’s remember that prayer is an on-going process. Notice the words of verse 41:
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” vs. 41
When difficulties happen, especially big ones, and let’s face it, death is a big one, we carry it around with us and it is constantly on my mind. Jesus was the same way. Notice the verb in this verse is in the past tense. God heard, maybe underline or circle that word, his prayer. He had prayer about this before. We know Jesus knew about this situation before he came here and he probably had thought a lot about what he was going to say to Mary and Martha, but he also knew that God was going to raise Lazarus up. He probably prayed about this a few times on the walk from the previous town to this one because he knew the pain his friends were going through.
Prayer is an on-going process. Sometimes we prayer for something once and that’s it but I think this story helps us understand that multiple prayers are right too. We may have somehow gotten the idea that prayer is or might be a one-time thing. I remember back to Luke where Jesus is teaching the disciples and he says in verse 1 of that passage:
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1
It says always pray. We get so easily distracted by the events of life. If you are like me and you are going through something, I must think about it a hundred times a day. Why not prayer about it more. Make prayer an on-going process.
Ex. Here are some practical ways to do that; take a verse card from the back and use it as a prayer, take the prayer list and pray through that during the week, memorize verses, or put things in your life to remind you like crosses, angels, etc. anything that will remind you to always pray.
- Prayer Is A Faith Builder
Second, Jesus shows us though his prayer that prayer is a faith builder. Look at verse 42 to understand this:
“I knew that you always hear me…” vs. 42
God wants us to run to Him in times of difficulty and not run from Him. I think it is always more comforting and makes the difficult times easier when you have someone to talk to and know that someone is listening to you. Prayer is inviting God into the situation and God hears us. As Jesus says, “You (God) always hears us.” He wants to be in our situations and it helps to invite Him into those with us; it’s also another way to remind yourself that He is there with you. I know for me, I move more confidently when I have someone with me and God wants to be with you in those times. Plus…and this is a big plus, prayer has power. Look at James 5:16:
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
Our prayers carry power and there are effective. That means they work. They work to give us strength, hope and confidence.
Ex. Recently a friend was having a difficult time in their home life and I spent time in prayer with them and encouraged them to continually lift the situation in prayer. I wasn’t surprised when the situation began gradually improving and his family life getting better. In turn, I think it helped build his faith. He knew God heard and it increased his faith.
- Prayer Is A Witness
And, third, prayer is a witness as well. It tells others of our faith and shows God to them. Go back to verse 42:
“I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” vs. 42
When others hear our prayers it gives them hope and points them to God.
Ex. Praying before meals in restaurants. This week, my sense of people watching us pray in the restaurant.
Ex. Praying in Denny’s before breakfast and the lady heard it and picked up our tab.
Ready For Praise
Here is another benefit to prayer and turning our difficulties over to God; it clears our mind and when our minds are cleared and settled we can see more clearly to praise God. This week we are going into one of my favorite times; Thanksgiving. One way to enjoy Thanksgiving and free yourself up to praise God for the things He has blessed you with is to pray, continue to pray, and get ready for praise. Release your difficulties to God and get ready for praise.
Read prayer of G.K. Chesterton
Thoughts
You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the play and opera,
And grace before the concert and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.
