Assumptions

 

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ESV)

 

So often, in life, we take things for granted. We assume that things will work out as they should. We simply trust that they’ll function as intended. And we presume that the desired results will be achieved.

 

For example, as I leave my house each morning, I take for granted that my car will start. I assume that it’ll fire up and take me where I need to go. I plan my day around the assumption that I’ll be able to get to the places I need to be. And this is true even when the weather is extreme.

 

Because of these assumptions, we give no real thought to them. We seemingly have no concern for them. We’re not worried or apprehensive about these things in any way.

 

This is true also when it comes to our faith. We take for granted that the Church will do its job. We take for granted that it will grow. We take for granted that our faith will spread. And we take for granted that people will honor his Word.

 

For this reason, we fail to pray for the salvation of souls. For this reason, because we take these things for granted, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the Church.  And, for this reason, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the unsaved.

 

We don’t tend to offer up the petitions requested by Paul in the passage above. We don’t ask that God’s Word would speed forth. We don’t ask that it would be honored. Nor do we ask that the Church might be delivered from evil men.

 

We simply assume that these things will happen. We assume that the Church will faithfully carry out its mission. We take for granted that God’s Word will speed forth because it is, after all, God’s Word. We expect that his Word will be honored. And we presuppose that the Church will be protected from those who intend it harm.

 

We see from Paul’s request, however, that these are needs that ought to be entrusted to the Lord. We see that these blessings cannot be taken for granted. Like every other blessing that we need or desire, these are things for which we are completely dependent upon God.

 

I can say, speaking for myself, that I value the prayers offered up for me, as I serve the Lord. I value the prayers offered up for the ministry of the church. I value them because it’s only with his strength and blessing that we can accomplish anything.