Prayer: Asking, Yielding, and Waiting
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." — James 1:5 Prayer is not a technique for getting God to approve our plans. It is the child coming to the Father, confessing need, and placing the outcome in His hands. The man who will not pray is not bold. He is self-sufficient, and self-sufficiency is a poor compass. James does not tell the believer to invent wisdom. He tells him to ask. God gives liberally. He does not scold the honest seeker. But the asking must be in faith, nothing wavering. We cannot ask God to show us His way while reserving the right to refuse it if the answer costs us. That is not prayer. That is negotiation. Before choosing the twelve, the Lord continued all night in prayer (Luke 6:12–13). Before the cross He prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Direction and surrender travel together....