Un answered prayer is a universal Christian experience.

Every one of us has asked God for particular things that he has denied.

We've asked for help to make a B on a test, and we've gotten a C. We've asked for sleep and we've lain awake all night long.

We've asked that her attitude be changed and she stayed just as sour as ever. We've asked

that they not go ahead with the divorce and they did it anyway.

We've asked that he be protected in Vietnam and he was killed.

We've asked that she get the job and they gave it to somebody else.

We've asked that the place be packed and only a few showed up. We've asked that she be healed and she passed away.

Everybody knows what I'm talking about. It is so common that we've written it into our hymns. There's an old Swedish hymn you all know that says thanks for

prayers that thou hast answered thanks for what thou dost deny.

And another familiar hymn says,

teach me to feel that thou art always nigh.

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.

To check the rising doubt, the rebel side, teach me the patience of

unanswered prayer.

We sing about it.

It's an agonizing thing to cry out to God for the life of a loved one and watch that life

ebb irrevocably away.

So I've been thinking a lot about prayer this year so far, and I have a plan, I have a three-week plan. I'd like to preach today and January 25th on the topic, what do answers to prayer

depend on? That's this Sunday and Sunday after next. And in between I would

like to preach on the text from 1st Timothy 2-2, Pray for Kings and all those in high positions because that's the Sunday

immediately prior to the inauguration day. So I have an idea of where we're going for at least three weeks. And today and two weeks from today, it's the question, what do answers to prayer depend on. That question weighs really heavily on me when I think about unanswered prayer and the promises of God.

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