Focus: Don't Just Pray; Think!

Text: Eph.3:20

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ASK OR THINK, according to the power that worketh in us."

The book of Ephesians is easily divided into two parts: the doctrinal part, 1-3, and the practical part, 4-6. The Apostle Paul concludes the doctrinal part with a doxology, and in simple terms, the doxology says that God is able to do much more than what we pray for or imagine. 

Eugene H. Peterson paraphrases the doxology thus: "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" God can do much more than what we ask as well as what we think or imagine.

I love the two dimensions of asking and thinking from our text. God is infinitely capable of outdoing all that we are capable of asking for or dreaming about. It is so good to pray, but we must do more than pray. We must think - imagine, dream, create. 

We succeed in life or get what we want out of life by imagination as well as by determination.

I read a story of a little boy sent to bed by his father. Five minutes later, the boy called out to his father, "Da-ad…" His father responded, "What?" And the boy said, "I'm thirsty. Can you bring me a drink of water?" His father replied, "No. You had your chance. Lights out." Five minutes later, the boy called out again to his father, "Da-aaaad…," and his father said, "What?" The boy said, "I'm thirsty. Can I have a drink of water?" His father said, "I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to spank you!" After another five minutes, the father heard his son calling him again, "Daaaa-aaaad…," and as usual his father said, "What!" The boy said to his father, "When you come in to spank me, can you bring a drink of water?" That's being creative! That's being imaginative. That's being determined and persistent. In this final request the boy applied a different sense, and he got the water he desperately wanted.

It is good to pray, but in addition to prayer we need to think. God created us to also create. Creators dream possibilities.

We are co-creators with our God. We do not only pray; we imagine. We use our heads, hearts and hands. We find new ways of doing things and getting results. The road to success is not cast in stone. Success has many paths to it, and as another has said, "The road to success is always under construction." It is also said that there are many ways to kill a rat. 

In the same vein, there are many ways to get to the top places of life. In thinking, we must make sure to think out solutions. Think creatively and imaginatively. Think out new ways of achieving success. Don't only pray, but also think! God has all the resources to beat your imagination and stagger your mind.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter