My notes from Don Carson’s talk in the sixth session at EMA (Evangelical Ministry Assembly)…
Five prayer polarities
Patterns of praying in Scripture that are different.
1. Sustained prayer and brief prayer
Nehemiah 1:5f is a prayer Nehemiah prayed day and night for four months. Sustained intercessory focussed prayer.
Characteristics of God in this prayer presupposed by Nehemiah in this prayer:
- God is sovereign (v5).
- God keeps His covenant (v5).
- God expects repentance where there is sin (v6-7).
- God punishes and restores His people (v8-9).
- God knows His own people and watches over them (v10).
- God guards His own name (v11).
In Nehemiah 2 we then have a bullet prayer. Sustained prayer followed by bullet prayer. Later out of the former.
2. Desperate prayer and steady prayer
In Moses’ prayer in Exodus 32:31-32, Moses could wish himself accursed for his people. Ultimate depiction of the judgment in Exodus 32 is hell. New Testament equivalent of Moses’ prayer is Paul’s in Romans 9.
Some prayers are so intense that you don’t analyse it with strict logic. Not formulaic but reflects where your heart is. Says something about our prayers for others that we wish ourselves dead for others to be saved. All praying is not at this desperation.
Others measured, steady, full of joy of the Lord. Psalm 8 is not a prayer of desperation. There is a place for steady acknowledgment of God, Christ, Gospel, names of God, His revelation etc in prayer.
Prayer is not always in desperation. Some intercessory matters (such as asking the Lord of the harvest for more workers) we should be praying constant.
3. Private prayer and public prayer
In Exodus 33 Moses goes to the tent of meeting and prays to God privately for His presence. On the other hand lots of public prayers. Solomon in 1 Kings 8 offers a prayer to God that people needed to hear and learn from. A favourite of Don Carson’s is Jesus’ in John 11:41-42.
When we pray in public there is a pedagogical function. As pastors, when we pray in public, how is this prayer rightly addressing God but also how is this prayer instructing the people.
4. Prayer of corporate covenantal renewal and prayer of special request
In Exodus 34:9 Moses is begging for God’s presence amongst the covenant people of God whether in blessing or in judgment. It’s a prayer of corporate covenantal renewal that is unsentimentalised. Asking for God first before revival. God’s presence in all God is. We want God.
Wrong to think all prayer is of this sort. Earlier on the other hand Moses asks for meat. It’s not wrong to pray for individual needs. 1 Peter tells us to cast all our cares on the Lord.
5. Unacceptable prayer and acceptable prayer
Unacceptable prayers are prayers that sustain self-righteousness. Acceptable prayers are prayers that are characterised by contrition and brokenness (Luke 18:9-14).
Unacceptable prayers overlook the absence of righteousness and acceptable prayers pursue righteousness.
Unacceptable prayer is coming to God thinking that He is happy to pour out blessing while we keep our idols. Acceptable prayer involves examining ourselves.
Unacceptable prayer is asking with the wrong motives (James 4:3).
Unacceptable prayers overlook Christ’s righteousness. Acceptable prayers recognise Christ’s righteousness is the only basis for certainty in access to God.
Much praying is not done because do not plan to pray. ‘We need to think these theological things through, but we need to plan to pray’.
