Continuing some thoughts on prayer…
Perhaps you have heard this account of George Muller. On one of his voyages to America, the ship was enveloped in thick fog. The captain prudently slowed the ship until it was hardly moving. He remained on the bridge himself for 22 hours straight, when suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was George Muller. “Captain”, he said, “I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon”. This was Wednesday.
“It’s impossible”.
“Very well, if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other means”.
The captain protested that it was beyond his means – what could be done?
“Let us go down to the chart room and pray”, Muller suggested.
“Do you know how dense this fog is?” countered the captain.
“No”, said Muller, “my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the Living God, who controls every circumstance of my life”.
Muller then acted on what he had just said, going on his knees to offer a simple prayer.
It was so simple that the captain thought to himself, a child could have uttered such words.
As Muller rose, the captain felt he should pray, but Muller stopped him.
“First, you do not believe God will do it. Second, I believe He has done it, and there is no need for you to pray about it. Come and see”.
The captain got up and opened the door. The fog was gone. Muller kept his appointment.
I have met such people, though they are rare, who pray their request and then leave it alone.
I have met others who “pray continually” repeating their request until God answers. They are like the persistent widow of Luke 18 in the parable told by Jesus.
So which model are we to follow?
I suggest such a question is a distraction, that our prayers are heard not because we have chosen the best formula, but because our heart is turned to God in faith.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12