Prayer: You Are No Fool When You Give Up What You Cannot Keep

April, 2005

by: Walt Bertelsen

What would you give up to have intimacy with God?

Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary to the Aucas in Ecuador penned this arresting statement: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Jesus said much the same thing: whoever would save his life will lose it, but that whoever loses his life for Jesus’ sake will find it (Mt 16:25). What He said refers to the whole of Christian life, including prayer. Jesus taught a simple model prayer. He presented it as an outline, not to be repeated slavishly. Each phrase includes an incredible breadth and depth of truth that most of us may have never considered.

I would ask you to honestly consider the implications of what He actually taught us to pray. Doing that, you will find yourself challenged to give up something.

To begin, notice that there is an implied order of priority: God’s concerns, then ours. (We will look at our personal concerns in a later article). Now, consider each phrase:

Our Father

see the discussion of the “family communication” with our Abba from last month.

Hallowed be your name

God’s name(s) represent all that He is—His nature and character. We are to worship and honor Him as supremely holy, set apart above all, never taking His name “in vain,” as God says in the Ten Commandments. This means so much more than not using it in a profane manner. We take the Lord’s name in vain when we, for example, claim to be His, but don’t live according to our profession. We profane Christ’s name when we pray—but don’t believe that He really hears us.

Your kingdom come

Jesus’ first message was repentance, saying that the kingdom of God was coming. His first promised blessing (in the Sermon on the Mount) was that the kingdom belonged to those who recognize their own spiritual poverty (i.e., they have nothing to offer God or depend on but Him). The fact that we are pray for God’s kingdom to come means that we acknowledge God as our king. Christians never live in a democracy. Our Lord has all the votes and all the rights. Let us serve Him accordingly.

Your will be done

Scripture speaks of God’s will in at least three ways: There is His sovereign will (what He has decreed); His preceptive or moral will (His commands); and His individual will for us. God wants you to know His will (Eph 5:17). His will is spelled out in His word; it is available through godly, wise counsel. Romans 12:1-2 teaches that when we empty ourselves of ourselves—as we follow Christ, take up our cross (die to self), and let God renew our thinking, we will be able to discern God’s will. Implied in the prayer is our submission to the will of God. The prayer implies also that we will give thanks for what He is doing and rejoice in it—or ask and trust Him for grace to do that.

On earth as it is in heaven

Think about what it would mean to pray that God’s will be done on earth in the same way it is done in heaven. The whole earth—that’s huge! That’s big picture praying. And what would it look like? Here are some descriptors of how His will is done in Heaven: completely… in the fullness of joy… continually. Picture that on earth… in Burbank… at Calvary… in your home…

If you are His child, you have been given access to His presence. “He is no fool…” Are you?