Tether

By Ryan Phipps

Some believe that prayer is a kind of spiritual tether we use to carry our requests up to God. And God, in return, sends divine goods and services back down to us.

Others (including me) find this unbelievable.

Do you? If so, I've written this for you.

S O L O M O N

A story from the Old Testament says this about prayer;

God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people. For who is able to lead them?”

God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

—2 Chronicles 1:7-12

M O T I V E

A few things stand out to me in that story.

First, that God wants us to pray for things. God says to Solomon; “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Then, Solomon asks. But he doesn’t ask for the things that people usually ask God for. He doesn’t ask for wealth, possessions, honor, the death of his enemies, or even long life. What’s more, the story also points out that none of those things were his heart’s desire anyway. Instead, Solomon asks God for wisdom to serve others.

What does this teach us?

Yes, it teaches us that God wants us to pray for things, but also that God wants us to be aware of our desires and motives as we do.

The Apostle James says something similar in the New Testament.

When you ask God for something, you do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your desires.

—James 4:3

A W A R E N E S S

Years ago, I remember hearing Dr. Wayne Dyer talk about how we often want things that we aren't ready to receive yet.

In the talk, he asked us to imagine a fictional scenario;

All the money in the world is collected, loaded onto planes, and the planes traverse the globe, dropping the money in random places.

He concluded that if such a scenario were to take place, that eventually, all the money would end up right back where it was at first.

This scenario mirrors what Jesus was trying to teach when he said the words;

“For to every one who has, will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

— Matthew 25:29

Jesus wasn't saying that God gives more to the wealthy, while taking what little the poor have away from them. Rather, Jesus was saying that things flow everywhere, to everyone. But they end up with those who know how to hold onto them.

B E C O M I N G

So why are we praying for the things we're praying for?

When we answer that question honestly, we start becoming people who can receive what we’re asking for. We no longer pray to Something remote, but to Something within, guiding us to be more honest in our prayers.

For example, we may pray for healing, unaware that what we actually need is God's help with our fear of death or pain.

We may pray for money, unaware that what we actually need is God's help to see how materialistic we've become.

Or we may pray for world peace, unaware that what we actually need is for God to show us practical ways to bring peace.

Søren Kierkegaard once wrote;

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”

So keep praying. Be vulnerable. Welcome self-awareness. Let the process do its work in you. It’s far more about who you are becoming as you pray, and far less about stuff coming down a tether.