John Newton, slave trader turned pastor and hymnwriter, believed in “large asking” when it came to prayers. He encouraged many with the archaic words in this verse from the hymn “Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare”: “Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring, for His grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much.”
His “large asking” was no doubt motivated by people in the Bible who prayed big prayers. Abraham famously pleaded for mercy on behalf of the people of Sodom and the other cities of the plain (Genesis 18:16-33). Moses interceded on behalf of the people of Israel, asking God to erase his name from the book of life instead of destroying the nation (Exodus 32:31-32). Esther, risking her life, came before the king to save the lives of her people (Esther 5:1-8). The apostle Paul prayed that the Romans would experience “complete harmony” and that the “message about Jesus” would be known to all Gentiles (Romans 15:5-7, Romans 16:25-27). He also asked that the Ephesians would be empowered with inner strength (Ephesians 3:14-21), that the Philippians’ love would overflow more and more (Philippians 1:8-11), and that the Colossians would have a complete knowledge of God’s will (Colossians 1:9-12).
In each case, God in His sovereignty responded with generous grace. He has extended a gracious invitation for us to ask big things of Him. Considering the costliness of gaining access to our heavenly Father (the death of His Son), we should remember and practice the words of Phillips Brooks: “Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches but for wings.”
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 19:21-41
More:
Read Hebrews 8:1. How should it affect the content of our prayers to know that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father?
Next:
How do your recent prayers compare to the requests and petitions made by men and women in the Bible? What will it take for you to bring your largest prayer requests before Him?
Gary Shultz on November 6, 2014 at 7:02 am
Wow, I would like to be better at the big stuff. My vision never seems to be there. Sometimes big seems so large that it becomes rather general, like God save America. Although, God help me with a friend I know seems to fit a lot better.
marvin williams on November 6, 2014 at 10:32 am
Gary, “help me with a friend” can become a large prayer. Sometimes fear or selfishness stands in the way of me helping a friend or sharing the gospel with a friend or neighbor. So, what may seem small, really becomes a big asking. in addition, “Save America” is a general prayer, but “Lord, what part do you want me to play in saving my part of America (neighborhood, workplace, etc.)” seems to get to the heart of the large asking, in my humble opinion. I wish I knew how to do this better. I am still a work in progress.Thanks for adding your voice here.
Gene on November 6, 2014 at 7:17 am
Can’t describe how timely these words and Scripture are to me today, Marvin. Great challenge to ask larger. I had to look up the hymn and found a beautiful version on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E82EcPzdM-E. Enjoy.
marvin williams on November 6, 2014 at 10:40 am
Gene, thanks for adding your voice here. I am glad that this little offering was helpful. I am still learning how to discern what those large askings are for me. Also, thanks for the link to the hymn.
Ruth O'reilly-smith on November 6, 2014 at 8:18 am
Thanks Marvin. And, when we ask, and see God answer, it fuels our faith and we ask again. God has not changed; when we look back as see how faithful He has been, we are spured on to ask again and again. James 4:3 says, “Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” Matthew 7:7 says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
marvin williams on November 6, 2014 at 10:52 am
Ruth, the James passage is one of my favorite passages. i am so guilty of sometimes being afraid of “large askings.” sometimes it’s lack of faith, but many other times it’s because I fail to remember all the other times God has answered. This is part of the reason I keep a journal. This helps me to relive what God has done, and this rehearsing fuels my faith for the next asking. Thank you for this reminder to remember God’s faithfulness and how that faithfulness fuels future asking.
Tom Felten on November 6, 2014 at 9:03 am
Good word, Marvin. I appreciate the examples you gave of real people in the Bible who prayed what was on their heart—even the big stuff! May we choose to pray honestly and openly to our loving God today, seeking His will and resting in His sovereign decisions!
marvin williams on November 6, 2014 at 10:55 am
Tom, thanks for the encouragement. David, in his psalms of lament, was extremely vulnerable and transparent in his conversations with God. Whether he was asking for strength to defeat Goliath or his own internal fears and frustrations, he opened his life so we could see his big and honest prayers. In those prayers, he did rest in God’s sovereignty.
Dami21 on November 7, 2014 at 2:44 am
The passage Genesis 18:16-33 is so beautiful for I was smiling at Abraham’s interaction with God and God’s patient kindness to him in return to his questions. This depicts God’s readiness for us whenever we go to Him.
Glory to His name for ever and ever!