Forgetting the “Lottery Prayer”

Daily Devotional: Day 107

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10, NKJV).

Jesus teaches us a simple approach to prayer. In this approach, the key elements are trust and expectation. He exhorts us to do three things: ask, seek, and knock. When we pray, our mindset shouldn’t be like playing a lottery. In a lottery, the odds of you winning are awful. It is said, for example, that in the Mega Millions multi state lottery in the USA, the odds of you winning is 1 in almost 176 million. When you play the lottery, you’re basically trying your luck, hoping against hope that perhaps you’ll be the lucky one and everyone else will lose. Lottery is largely based on chance and wishful thinking. Unfortunately, there are Christians who approach prayer with a lottery mindset. They may not say it out loud, but they somewhat believe that God is very busy trying to keep up with billions of prayer requests sent to His desk in Heaven. Plus, they are not sure if God even hears them. And if he did hear them, they aren’t sure if He will be kind enough to show them favor. The bottom line is, when they pray, they’re hoping (the lottery kind of hope) to get lucky one day and have their request granted. This mentality needs to change.

Today, Jesus’ message is simple. The Father loves you. You are His child. In fact, he is willing and happy to answer you. He wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed. Prayer in not a lottery. When you pray, all the odds are in your favor. So, Jesus says, just ask; just seek; and just knock. That’s all you have to do. No drama. The only thing is, when you ask, expect to receive; when you seek, expect to find; and when you knock, expect the door to be opened – and never give up on your prayer. Keep it simple.

Prayer:

Dear Father, I know that you love me. Thank you for always hearing me. Grant me faith to believe that what I ask, I shall receive; what I seek, I shall find; and when I knock, the door shall be opened. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

For further study: Luke 11:1-13