First, what is an elevator prayer? It’s the prayer I make when I’m about to get to work. I’m taking the elevator up to the ninth floor, to our offices, and I have a quiet moment alone. What do I want? What should happen with my day?

I pray this: “Make something good happen for me today…” Or in another version: “Grant me success today.” Right out of Scripture.

It comes from the story about Isaac in Genesis. His beloved mother Sarah has died, he’s all of 37 years old, and he needs a wife. His father, Abraham, who is really ancient, says that the perfect woman should be found back in their homeland.

A servant is sent to seek her out, find her and bring her back. Whoever she might be.

You have to pity the servant. Talk about a tough job. How is he to find this woman? What criteria should he use to evaluate her?

He makes the trip and stops at the well where the women are drawing fresh spring water. He has 10 camels with him, and they surely need drink as much as he does. That’s when he says his prayer: “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today, I pray thee…” (Genesis 24:12).

He goes on to acknowledge that the perfect woman will be the one who not only gets water for herself but shares some with him and the thirsty camels. In other words, his criteria isn’t beauty or wealth or family traits. It’s generosity.

Just then Rebekah appears. Yes, she’s comely and wellborn, but more importantly, when the lowly servant asks for a drink, she rushes to his aid. Not only that, on her own, she sees the camels and pours water in the trough for them.

Grant me success today. His prayer is answered.

Later when she is asked if she will return with this man to marry Isaac—a complete stranger—she somehow knows it is her calling. “I will go,” Rebekah says. She goes. Isaac marries her, and he finds comfort from the loss of his mother. She is the wife he is meant to have.

There is a lot more about Rebekah. (Wait till we meet her sons Jacob and Esau.) Like so many of the characters of the Bible, she’s not perfect. Her motives can be mixed. But when called, she goes. When judged, she shows her generosity.

All of it was an answer to that man’s simple prayer: Lord God, make something good happen for me today. Grant me success. Amen.

The next morning, as he and his disciples made the same trek into the city, “they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.” Peter remarked on it to Jesus, as though he or anyone should be surprised.

But Jesus said, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24, ESV).

There is so much going on in that passage, and so much to study and think about. But for our purposes here and now, I want to focus on perhaps the most straightforward and easy-to-understand part of the whole story.

When Peter expressed amazement at the withered fig tree, Jesus could have responded any number of ways. He might have said, “I know, I got a little grumpy yesterday when there were no young figs on the tree. My bad.”

He might have answered Peter, “Let that be a lesson to you: Don’t cross me when I’m hungry.”

He might have said, “I hope one of you will write this down later, so people will know how important it is to be fruitful, in season or out of season.”

But, of course, he said none of those things (and I’m not suggesting you take any of those possibilities seriously).

Instead, Jesus turned the whole fig tree incident into a lesson on prayer. In fact, my paraphrase of his exchange with Peter goes something like this:

“Rabbi! Look at that! The fig tree you cursed is all withered.”

“Of course it is, Peter. Sheesh, have some faith in God! A fig tree is nothing; if you had the faith, and the boldness, you could pray for this mountain right here  to be thrown into the sea–30-some miles away–and it would happen! The question is not will a fig tree wither at your word or a mountain move at your command; the question is, will you ask for it in prayer and believe that your Father will do it?”

Of course, Jesus may have had an advantage–being the incarnate Son of God–but he clearly and boldly stated that his followers could do anything he did–and more.

He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:12-13, ESV).

Greater than having authority over a fig tree? Apparently so (see Acts 5:1-10).

Greater than healing a paralyzed man? Apparently so (see Acts 3:1-11).

Greater than raising a widow’s son from the dead? Apparently so (see Acts 9:36-41).

Apparently that first generation of Jesus’ followers took his promises seriously. They prayed for boldness (Acts 4:29). They prayed for prisoners to be released (Acts 12:5). They prayed for the sick to be healed (Acts 28:8). They prayed for the dead to be raised (Acts 9:40).

Those were bold prayers. Dangerous, even, as they often got Jesus’ followers into trouble. But they changed the people who prayed them, even as they changed the world. So pray those kinds of prayers. Pray “greater than” prayers. Pray boldly. Pray dangerously.

Adapted from the upcoming book, The Red Letter Prayer Life. 

But not every prayer was answered. The Bible itself makes that clear. Here are four questions to ask yourself if your prayers aren’t being answered.

1)  Have I asked—or just wished?

A wish isn’t a prayer. James wrote to early Christians, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2, NIV). Well, duh. But how often have I wanted God to do something but haven’t really made that “something” a subject of prayer? More often than I care to admit.

2)  Have I asked according to God’s will?

The author of the Bible book of 1 John wrote, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NIV). Even Jesus submitted His requests to the Father’s will (see Matthew 26:39, 42). So, it’s worth asking myself whether I’m praying according to my agenda—or God’s.

3)  Have I asked from selfish motives?

James also wrote, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3, NIV). Holy moly, this is a loaded question. What percentage of my prayers are motivated by my own desire—demand, even—for pleasure and comfort? Chances are, the higher that percentage, the lesser my experience of answered prayer is likely to be.

4)  Have I considered that God may have something better in mind?

Elijah—the great champion of God, the great man of faith, the great prophet of Israel, prayed, “Take my life” (1 Kings 19:4, NIV). Mary and Martha, grieving the recent death of their brother, Lazarus, each said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32, NIV). In each case, the petitioner was disappointed—for a time, at least. Elijah eventually went to heaven in a chariot of fire, and Mary and Martha saw God’s resurrection power displayed before their very eyes. God’s ways are not our ways, He says (see Isaiah 55:8-9), so it shouldn’t surprise us too much if our prayers sometimes go unanswered because He has a better idea.

These are not the only reasons our prayers go unanswered (see this post for a few more), but they do provide us with good questions to ask ourselves anytime we pray. 

1)  May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. (Psalm 126:5). Autumn is the time of harvest. Haven’t we all experienced anxiety and tears in these too-long months of a seemingly endless pandemic? Indulge in God’s promise. Reap God’s love with shouts of joy.

2)  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26). The birds in migration seem to fill the skies these October and November days. Jesus’s words offer a reminder how each one of them offers a sermon. In flight.

3)  The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8). As my friend Tibby Sherrill likes to say, “The only prayer God can’t answer is, ‘Don’t let anything change.’” Autumn is a constant reminder of change, changes that are inherent in our lives. No reason we can’t use those changes to grow closer to God and the Love that never dies.

4)  When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien…” (Leviticus 23:22). I love this verse. A reminder of how the harvest was also a crucial time of giving. To remember the poor. Not hogging it all ourselves. Leaving enough for them.

5)  The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it. (Psalm 24:1). Do you ever go on a prayer walk? No listening to podcasts or making phone calls. Just take yourself outside and experience what this verse says. You’ll see not only in the trees and the flowers but in the people you pass on the sidewalk or who drive by… They are—we are—the Lord’s.

6)  Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9). Thanksgiving is not far away. When families gather and give thanks for what God has given them. So do not weary in doing what is good. Life’s bounty is near.

7)  They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season and their leaves do not wither…(Psalm 1:3). A crab apple tree lies just outside our kitchen window, the fruit bright red. No, we don’t eat it. But the sight of it is full of beauty that delights. Those who “delight in the Lord” are like those trees. Now and forever.

Regardless of where you live, or even the date on the calendar, you may be entering a new season. Maybe it’s a new job or relationship. Maybe your nest is empty. You might be welcoming a new child or just assumed the role of caregiver to a spouse or parents.

Anytime we exit or enter a new season of life, it can feel upsetting. Disorienting. Even depressing. At such times, it’s good to remember that just as God was in control in our “springtime,” He is no less in control when fall or winter arrive. The prophet Daniel said: 

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning (Daniel 2:21 NIV).

Such knowledge can be comforting, as God’s Word often is. But even more so, prayer can help us transition into a new season like nothing else. For that reason, let me suggest five to pray—and perhaps memorize and repeat as often as necessary—whenever you embark on a new season:

1)  Joshua’s Charge
It must have been incredibly daunting for Joshua to face a new season of leadership and prominence when his mentor, Moses, died. So God spoke to Joshua in words that we can use to strengthen and embolden ourselves when we come to a new crossroads:  

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NIV).

2)  Gideon’s Comfort
The son of Joash the Abiezrite was literally hiding from Israel’s oppressors when the angel of the Lord appeared and called him to a new season in his life—he would faithfully lead God’s people to a new era of freedom. I’ve often prayed the angel’s words to Gideon, especially when, perhaps like Gideon, I’ve felt ill-equipped to face my circumstances. It’s an affirmation to repeat as often as necessary as you enter a new season:

“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” (Judges 6:12).

3)  David’s Song
We don’t know in what situation David, the shepherd king, penned the verses of Psalm 1. But the story of his life seems to have been a nearly constant turning from one new season to another, from shepherd boy to giant killer to court musician to fugitive to warrior to king. No wonder that his songs help at the turnings of our lives. Like this one:  

Lord, as I face this change, make me “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither,” and grant favor and prosperity in whatever I do (Psalm 1:3 NIV).

4)  The Beloved’s Enjoyment
Some seasons are better than others, but whatever season you’re facing, God can call beauty even out of grief and hardship. You might adapt the song of the beloved from the Song of Solomon as your prayer:

God, by your mighty grace, make this season of my life like that wondrous moment when “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance” (Song of Songs 2:12-13 NIV).

5)  Mary’s Affirmation
Has anyone ever faced a new and unexpected season like that which the angel announced to Mary of Nazareth when he told her she would be the mother of Jesus, the long-awaited Christ? How her head must have spun as all expectations for her future changed in an instant. Your new season may not feel that disorienting (or maybe it does), but Mary’s affirmation may be something you meditate on and repeat often through your own twists and turns:  

“I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” and will (Luke 1:38 ESV).

You may choose to adopt one of these “new season prayers” as your own, or alternate or combine them as you work through the changes you face. Perhaps one of the above prayers suggested a different prayer to you. In any case, I hope these prayers, like the coming of autumn, bring beauty, color and refreshment to your heart, mind and life.

“Help”
In her book, Help, Thanks, Wow, Anne Lamott says, “This is a hard planet, and we’re a vulnerable species. And all I can do is pray: Help.” She’s right. But “Help” may be the most instinctive prayer any of us ever prays. So don’t hesitate. After all, the God of the universe is “our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:20, NIV).

“No”
In the prophet Ezekiel’s day, God saw His people “practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.” He longed for someone “who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap,” presenting a prayerful impediment to evil (Ezekiel 22:29-30, NIV). When evil looms and emergencies arise, one word—“No!”—can be a righteous prayer of defense, even defiance.

“Now”
The great church planter, Paul of Tarsus, wrote to early Christians (as paraphrased in The Message), “God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time; The day you needed Me, I was there to help. Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped” (2 Corinthians 6:2, The Message). Sometimes, when things are happening fast and the need for God’s intervention is urgent, a sharp, single-word prayer—“Now”—can say it all. 

Prayers like these are not only simple, they’re also effective. Keep them in mind, have them ready and use one or all three whenever an emergency arises.

I like to believe that most people’s desires and intentions are good, that they want to draw closer to God and practice their spiritual disciplines to grow in their faith. But even people of faith with good intentions get into trouble when comparing their spiritual health with that of someone else.

This can cause us to think less of people whose lifestyle and faith traditions are different from our own. The late author Rachel Held Evans wrote, “The easiest way to make oneself righteous is to make someone else a sinner.” Whether we admit it or not, this is something with which we all struggle.

When we look down spiritually on others because we think more highly of ourselves. We forget “There for the grace of God go I.” Jesus addresses the problem of self-righteousness through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus told this parable to those who were “confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.”

The Pharisees were devoted to following the law and traditions. The tax collectors were viewed as unclean traitors who worked for the oppressive Roman Empire. In the parable, two men went to the temple to pray. “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”

We are told that it was the tax collector who went home justified. Jesus added, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Religious and spiritual disciplines are great practices that can draw us closer to God, but when they distance us from others and lead us to believe in our self-righteousness, we have gotten it wrong. It is by grace alone that we are made righteous; a gift granted to each and every one of us.

It’s a beautiful, but sometimes confusing, part of the prayer commonly called The Lord’s Prayer. Some pray it every day. Some several times a day. Some in church. Some in private.

When Jesus showed His first followers how to pray, He included a plea for forgiveness: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4, NIV). In some versions, the prayer is, “Forgive us our debts.” In others, it’s “Forgive us our trespasses.”

Regardless of the exact words, the thought is the same. But what are we really saying when we say, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?”

First, we’re saying, “I’ve sinned. I’ve done wrong. I’ve crossed the line.” It’s an admission, a confession, a mea culpa (to use the old Latin phrase). That’s key, because the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV).

We’re also saying that we want and need forgiveness. In fact, when Jesus modeled this for His followers, He linked the petition for daily bread with the petition for forgiveness. “Forgive us” comes right after “Give us this day our daily bread.” It’s a hint that we need both, every day—food and forgiveness. We should pray for both on a daily basis.

But notice also that Jesus linked our forgiveness from God with our forgiveness of others. “Forgive us,” He told us to pray, “as we forgive.” As. It’s a tiny word, both in English and in Greek. When we say, “Forgive us … as we forgive,” we’re acknowledging the truth that Jesus taught, that being forgiven is tied to our forgiveness of others.

The phrase can be taken to mean, “Forgive us in the same way we forgive others;” it can be understood as a suggestion that our forgiveness of others will set the tone for the Father’s forgiveness of us. So when I pray, “Forgive us as we forgive others,” I am saying I want my mercy to be expanded.

I want to forgive willingly, because that’s the kind of reception I want from God. I don’t want God to measure out my forgiveness in measly human ways; I want to measure out forgiveness to others in big ol’ God ways. I want to be willing to forgive. I want to be quick to forgive. I want to forgive fully. I want to forgive repeatedly. Because all of those things are how I want—how I need—God to forgive me.

And just as my plea to be forgiven is a daily need, so my forgiveness of others can be a daily decision. “Forgive us as we forgive.” In other words, “forgive us today as we are forgiving today.”

No matter how deeply I feel someone has hurt me, I can choose—today—in realization of the grace God has shown me, to extend mercy to other. I don’t have to feel like it. I don’t have to drag up any warm feelings for those people. But I can refuse to retaliate. I can wipe the slate clean. I can forgive that debt. I can pray, “Forgive us today as we are forgiving others today.”

And as I do that, day by day, I will be forgiven…and I will experience the healing and wholeness that comes from releasing others’ sins against me. And, day by day, be released of sin’s hold on me as well.

What do you think of when you hear “well done”? I am not much of a steak person, but whenever I am out for dinner with family or friends, I order it well done. My husband says that takes away from the tenderness and flavor of the meat. But when it comes to matters of faithfulness, “well done” is always the best choice.

Faithfulness is an important quality in a servant of God, as is being dependable and helping others consistently as a matter of principle. Jesus said that servanthood is tantamount to greatness in his kingdom. I think about how good I feel when taking care of my mom. She sometimes thinks that she is a bother, but I try to explain to her that it is my pleasure. At the end of her journey in life, I hope she can say that I served her well.

The ultimate goal, at the end of my life, is to hear from Jesus, “Well done.” I pray that I will have served him well in the assignments I was given. I pray that whenever I feel that the task is too big, I ask him for help and never quit. I pray now and ask for a servant’s heart with those I lead in ministry.

My prayer point is to challenge you to have the heart of a servant in all that you do. It may seem like the lowest place, but Jesus considers it to be a great place. Pray for your few assignments from God and be faithful to those.

God bless you!

I was fascinated by watching people wait in line at Apple stores to purchase the iPhone 5. Apple products reflect well on their developers; they are well designed and give honor to those who made them. Every time they work and perform a function successfully, the credit goes back to the late Steve Jobs. That is the essence of how I see our lives as worshipful beings in our relationship with God. We have an opportunity each day to reflect well on our creator by the actions that we take. If my worship is confined to a particular place or space, it limits my opportunity to honor God with my whole life. The following scriptures are just two examples that serve as a reminder of how I can stay focused on worship every day.

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and Father.” (Colossians 3:17)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

It is not always easy to remember that my ordinary life is better if I think of it as a pleasing sacrifice to God. I could be more mindful of this when interacting with my daughters after a long day of work. I may be tired, but they still deserve my best. When I reconnect with my husband after a busy day, I can give him my full attention. When I am caring for my mom, I can make sure that I am patient and kind. These are the at-home tasks that I am charged with each day. How I go about them speaks volumes about the God in me, as well as my life as an offering to him. A quiet whisper of a prayer is necessary when my body and my mind are not in agreement. Therein lies the sacrifice. When I know the right thing to do and I don’t feel like doing it, I have to adjust my thinking so that my actions are a true reflection of worship.

My prayer point is for each of us to try expanding our concept of worship. We are God’s product, created in his image. He has given us all that we need to honor him. Pray to keep God’s merciful ways in view as Romans 12:1 indicates. Just as Apple has products that reflect well on them, we can reflect well on our God with the right attitude and actions. Pray and ask God how you can be a living sacrifice so that whatever you do in word or deed, you reflect well on him.

God bless you!