It’s natural to pray only for ourselves. Why? Because that is the consequential weight of sin: to value self over others and God. And that same natural bent or tendency plays out in our prayer life too, ironically enough.
Yet, Jesus lived radically opposed to this dynamic; indeed, his life valued God and others over himself, and his prayer life reflected that dynamic. And the key to understanding Jesus’ selfless living/praying is to look at his relationship with God, and the selfless nature of God. Jesus had everything he needed because he was united to the Father (Jn. 17) — and he realized that all his personal needs the Father would supply. Jesus prayed in selflessness because it only made sense in light of His relationship with the Father, who is rich and wealthy to provide in any case according to His will.
Therefore, we Christians tend to only pray for ourselves because we fail to see what we already have in Christ. Meaning, we usually pray for the things we really want, but in the reality in Christ, we actually already, essentially have them. We pray in the false reality of a disconnected relationship with a loving Father. In other words, we often disregard the reality of God’s powerfully loving Father-head in our redeemed position with Him — we too easily forget that we are His children now, heirs, whom He loves (Luke 15). Jesus’ atonement on the cross brings forth access and confidence before God in prayer – for we are His children, having our lives unified with Christ (Eph 3). Yet, I feel like our prayer life is rarely congruent with the reality of our eternally unified and immensely wealthy position with God.
Let me explain: In Christ we can surrender all we have, because in Christ, we have everything we need. In Christ, we have acceptance, love, approval, hope, strength, assurance, value, rights to heir, God the Most High as our loving, powerful, sovereign Father – therefore, in light of our personal prayers, how much of the following do we pray for that isn’t already answered when we consider all that we already have? Indeed, in Christ, we already have the supremest of what we could ever want/need – therefore, we can be assured that God will provide for any and all requests/situations since He has already accomplished our biggest needs.
And so how does this reality connect to a selfless prayer life? Well, in light of what we already have in Christ (acceptance, approval, loving and powerful Father who is on our side, freedom, heirs, and GRACE) it does not make sense for our prayers to be ultimately self-serving. Of course God wants to hear from our personal lives. But since we have been unified with Christ, our life which is His life should take on the shape of His life — which is others-focused for God’s magnification and renown. Jesus was burdened for people because He had much in God that the world could not rival or compare. And He desired for others to share in the rich relationship he had with the Father, since it truly compared to none other (Jn 17).
So we should desire the same. In Christ, we realize the same, and it is only logical that we be compelled in the same way. Meaning, in Christ, we realize that we have much in God that the world can’t compare, and it is only logical that we are compelled in the same way as Jesus to share that reality with others. Therefore, prayer characterized by the concerns of our sinful nature disengages the true, intended power of prayer — rich fellowship with God that gleams His character: a passion for people to know the good news. And conversely, prayer in light of the Gospel considers all we have in God, and is compelled to share that reality and pray that reality for others.
(cont.)
