When I was little, each Thanksgiving would usher in the tradition of “Save the Wishbone.” After carving the turkey, mom would tell whoever got that piece of meat to save the bone, and we’d put it up on the top of the cupboard to wait for it to dry out. Then we’d take it down to see whose wish would come true. Whoever broke the biggest portion of the bone would be granted the hope of receiving their wish, and then we’d start all over again the next Thanksgiving.
Did those wishes ever come true? No, not usually, mostly because we forgot about them within a few days and never expected or believed they’d actually materialize. Yet, that spark of hope carried us along throughout the year thinking about the perfect wish to be granted. Even now, under my keyboard, lies this year’s turkey wishbone. Why? No idea, but I imagine it’s because that childhood hope is still aflame. I want to believe, but history tells me it’s a desire wished for in vain.
“I wish to lose 100 pounds; I wish to be healthy and strong; I wish my son would find a nice girl, get married, and have grandbabies for me; I wish to live financially comfortable.” I wish, I wish, I wish.
I suspect the same is true of many who read this story, but wishing isn’t enough. The key to seeing a wish become reality lies in the motive of the heart. Who do I send that request to? Does it just go out into thought space or is my request made to the One who supplies all my needs and supplies exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think? The Message version puts it this way in Ephesians 3:20 “God can do anything, you know far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”
Am I genuinely sincere about desiring whatever I’m asking of God and am I convicted in my heart that my request is heard, and will be answered by Him? Do the words of my petition speak life into that request?
Instead of:
“Lord, I really want to lose 50 pounds this year. I’m really not sure you can but would you please help me do that?”
Why not pray this:
“Lord, you know my heart. I desire to lose 50 pounds this year and I’m asking you for the wisdom and knowledge to accomplish that goal. Thank you, Father, for the lost weight. I believe and know you’ve heard my prayer and I’m excited to see your hand fulfill that request. I praise you Father for your goodness towards me in this request!”
Now that’s not a wish; that’s an excitement to see His will unfold. God’s greatest “wishbone” (love shown through His Son) was broken on the cross of Calvary so that we might have blessed fellowship with Him in every area of our lives. Hence, when we ask in faith, according to his will, He hears and answers.
“And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him” ( I John 5:14-15, NET).
