Genesis-86: The Prayer of the One Who Laughs-Part 2

Genesis 25:19-21

"This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant." Amen.

 

Faith, Life's Questions, and Isaac's Story

In our faith journey, we constantly question and ponder what faith truly is. Most believers probably do. I remember reading a comedian's writing once that made me laugh out loud: "I believe in God. I believe without a doubt. I firmly believe how amazing and great God is. Just not right now." We clearly confess, "I believe in God." Yet, when we question ourselves in our actual lives, at that very moment, if we are truly relying on the Lord, many of us might ask, 'Is that really true? Where is my faith?'

 

Abraham's Greatest Test: The Problem of Children and the Silence of Prayer

Abraham was no exception. As the world grew larger and his worries deepened, his life diverged from the Abraham we might expect of a patriarch. This wasn't just a fleeting issue; it was the most crucial and significant problem in his entire life. Of course, he faced many hardships, like parting ways with his nephew Lot, or the great resolve needed to rescue him. And how much he must have deliberated when migrating to Canaan! He surely made that decision after deep consideration. But even more than all these, the greatest concern in his life was none other than the issue of his son.

 

God gave Abraham an immense promise: "You will have descendants, as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, and through you, all nations will be blessed." However, in his life, that promise didn't materialize as he expected, especially the absence of children, which weighed heavily on him. As this problem grew, we discover a surprising fact in the Bible: Abraham didn't pray about this issue. If Isaac's story didn't exist, we might only imagine how many altars Abraham built and how fervently he must have prayed. Yet, the Bible clearly states he never prayed for Sarah, that is, concerning their childlessness.

 

Human Solutions and Misunderstandings of the Word

You probably know why Abraham didn't pray. He already had his own answers and believed he possessed the solution to the problem. So, instead of praying, he actually said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before you!" Isn't that ironic? God promised to give him Isaac, but Abraham replied, "It's fine. Just let Ishmael prosper." This lack of prayer from a man of faith goes beyond mere spiritual laziness. It reveals that he wasn't truly listening to God's Word.

 

Abraham had a few clear perceptions. He knew God's will, the promise, and to some extent, God's plan. The problem was that he thought he could help God in his own way. That's why he didn't pray. He believed he already had the answer himself.

 

The Path to Knowing God's Will: Word and Spiritual Stamina

The most important way for us to know if we understand God's will correctly and are living according to it is through God's Word. This is why the Bible constantly emphasizes reading and praying God's Word regularly. If you don't read the Word habitually, when you face a problem, it becomes very difficult to look at it correctly and discover God's will within it. Furthermore, most of our problems fall into this category, and we often think 'there's no answer.'

 

For instance, we often ask, "God, should I start this business, or not?" Many ask this and then say, "God didn't answer." But if you consistently lived in God's Word, studying or reading it, you would know very well that God has already answered such questions. The reason we can't find that answer is because we lack spiritual basic stamina. When problems arise, we suddenly stumble. Why is there no answer?

 

The Wrong Question, the Clear Answer: Trust in God

First, what is the biggest question you ask when you pray? "If I start this business, will I succeed and make money, or will I fail and suffer?" Isn't that what you ask? God answers that that very question is wrong. God's answer is very clear: "Whether your business prospers or does not go according to your plan, you shall trust in God." To trust in God is God's answer and Word, yet we keep asking as if we don't know that Word, God's will, or God's ways.

 

Moreover, the Bible speaks much more clearly than this. We just focus all our attention on whether 'this will fail or succeed.' In a way, we often turn God, who the Bible says has love, patience, and deep concern for our entire lives, into a being we consult about our future, much like a fortune-teller.

 

True Understanding of the Word Leads to Prayer

The reason you should draw near to God's Word regularly is precisely this: the Word gives you the overall knowledge to discern these things. However, whether you truly read and understood that Word correctly depends on whether you pray because of it. Even if you read the Word and gain knowledge, seeming to know much of God's will, if prayer doesn't flow from you because of it, it's highly, highly likely that you haven't read the Word correctly. This is because, the moment you truly understand, you will immediately discover the following: "God's Word and will are vastly different and higher than our thoughts, and even the simplest commandment given by the Lord, I do not have the power to fulfill it."

 

No matter how good the Word is, you know from your entire life and faith journey that merely hearing and understanding it, and then resolving to "live like this from tomorrow," isn't enough to live out that Word. Haven't you never done so perfectly? If you ask me, the answer is the same. Has any one of us ever perfectly and always kept even one of God's commandments? No. That's why when we come to know and discover God's will, and who God is, what naturally flows from us immediately? It's the question: "God's commandments are too difficult and hard for me; how then can I live according to your will given these words?" This is precisely prayer. When prayer comes forth, you have understood the Word well. Only then do you truly grasp what that Word means.

 

Of course, prayer isn't everything. While praying, you also discover one very important truth: you come to understand why you are praying this way. It's because God uses this prayer to make you realize how weak you are and that you cannot live without relying on Him. So, if you read the Word, or have an insight, or hear a sermon and feel warmth in your heart, or remember the Word at home and think, "Ah, this was God's intention. He's speaking to me like this. God is warning me, renewing me, challenging me. I've understood something I didn't know!"—yet you don't pray, it's not because you're busy or lazy. You haven't truly heard God's Word.

 

Beyond the 'God Profile': A Real Relationship

Through Abraham's story, we learn one thing very clearly. Abraham certainly knew and believed God's promise. However, 'believed' here largely means he simply accepted the promise itself. He knew that the promises God made to him would be fulfilled in his life. But sadly, he was not relying on God Himself, who made the promise, but merely on the promise itself.

 

Do you understand this difference? It's like a millionaire father telling his son, "If you study hard, I'll give you pocket money." The son would naturally believe it. "My father is a millionaire; if I just try hard, he'll definitely give me money." He believes he will receive the money. But what if the father says, "Are you having a tough time these days? Lean on me, Dad. Talk to me about it." The son might wonder, "What's Dad talking about?" We often seem to pray to God and ask for something, but in reality, we're not relying on God; we're often relying on the 'prayer' itself that we're doing. We cling only to the promises we know, and we see far too many cases where we don't rely on God Himself, who made the promises. Perhaps we are all accomplices in this regard, myself included. If we know God's Word but don't rely on God Himself, what meaning or power does that known Word possibly have for us? It's truly strange.

 

Ultimately, we have little interest in God Himself. This is a difficult question: "How well do you know God?" Many people primarily talk about what they've heard during prayer times. Things like, "God is all-powerful," "omnipresent, and omniscient." We call these 'God's profile.' Many people can list God's attributes like a profile. But do you truly 'know' God?

 

Consider General MacArthur, whom you all know well. We can rattle off his profile: his military achievements in the Korean War, what the Inchon Landing was, and so on. But who truly 'knew' General MacArthur? Probably those who landed in Inchon with him and fought alongside him, those who remember the moments he held his pipe and uttered famous words. What I want to convey is this: Have you ever wrestled with God's Word, struggling because of it? When you heard the command 'forgive,' was it so hard and difficult that you couldn't resolve it in your heart, and you cried out before the Lord, "Lord, what should I do?" Did you have such moments of wrestling?

 

We have probably clung to God to solve our own problems and needs. But were we truly interested in God Himself, who solves those problems? Have you experienced who He is, what kind of life He wants you to live, how you know Him, and what He is doing to solve these problems with you? Do you only know God's profile? Or do you have the footprints of having experienced God's Word in your life? Have you truly shed blood with the Lord on the battlefield? Do you have traces of having walked with the Lord on the path He walked for you and with you?

 

Have you ever struggled, fighting through sleep deprivation and exhaustion, just to read God's Word to your children even once, for the precious promise of raising them with God's Word? To love your wife, even when her words don't register, when you're sometimes annoyed, or when you don't even want to hear what she says, have you ever wrestled and hurt to love your wife, overcoming your own frustration, disappointment, and pain, because of the Lord's command to love your wife as Christ loved the church?

 

To what extent do you truly consider God's Word? Is it merely passing advice for us, or is it truly life? Do we truly know that the Lord's Word becomes eternal life for those who live according to it, and are we learning and knowing God in that way?

 

This is precisely why we aren't truly hearing the Word. It's not that we can't hear, or that we lack understanding. The Holy Spirit strongly knocks on your heart. However, God never forces or compels, or breaks your will by His power to drag you unwillingly. This is God's personal way of dealing with you. We are so accustomed to this that we not only fail to be grateful but even take advantage of it.

 

The Limitation of 'God For Me'

We often hear and seem to understand God's Word, but in reality, we have little interest in the heart and character of the One who spoke it. We're only interested in the part that says, "He will give this promise, so I can enjoy this blessing," but we have little interest in God Himself, who gives it. This is why we don't truly know God. It proves that all our attention remains focused on ourselves.

 

Therefore, it's quite obvious why, even if you listen to sermons, read the Word, study the Bible, and even memorize scripture, God's Word fails to transform and influence your heart's direction and daily life. It's because you haven't moved a single step beyond the point of 'God for me,' which is why your spiritual progress seems stagnant. All you see is your own problems and yourself growing larger.

 

God Obscured by the 'Ball' of Problems

Friends, even a small ball can obscure the entire world. How so? If you hold it right in front of your eyes, you can't see anything. A small ball like a ping-pong or golf ball, it doesn't even need to be as big as a soccer ball; if it's placed in front of your eyes, it completely blocks your vision. Ultimately, all problems are the same kind of 'ball.' Sometimes there's a huge problem, seemingly the biggest in life, and other times there are small ones. But all these problems, these 'balls,' are essentially the same. The closer you focus on what's right in front of your eyes, the less you can see ahead. Naturally, God also becomes invisible. Therefore, the real seriousness of a problem isn't in how big or severe it is. The real problem is that God becomes invisible because of it—it's the problem of God being obscured.

 

Isaac's Prayer Reveals True Faith

This is why we value prayer, and why Isaac's prayer is so precious. The problem Isaac faced, and the problem Abraham faced, were identical: the absence of a son, no descendants. Isaac also waited 20 years for the promised offspring. Yet, the Bible states that in this same situation, Isaac prayed.

 

You and I will immediately think when we read this: "Yes, indeed! Isaac was different because he prayed, and that's why he was given a son!" But let me tell you this first: both received sons. Abraham received one, and Isaac received one. God didn't withhold a son from Abraham because he didn't pray. Abraham received without praying, and Isaac received despite praying.

 

Friends, which way seems better to you? Is it better to just receive, or is free better than praying all night to receive? If we approach it that way, there's no answer to this question. 'Why pray if I'll receive it anyway?' would be the correct answer. However, you know very well that you cannot say that. Therefore, even though both cases received essentially the same answer, we realize that through Isaac's prayer, God intends to convey a special meaning to us.

 

The Essence of Prayer: Acknowledging Our Inability and God's Power

Unlike Abraham, Isaac, through this event, demonstrates through prayer that he is not relying on himself but on God. This is probably one of the most important aspects. He went beyond simply believing the promise; he sought to rely on God Himself, the One who fulfills the promise, not on himself. That's why he didn't look for other methods.

 

This carries a deep meaning: recognizing that God's promise cannot be helped by my strength, my methods, or anything of mine—that is, acknowledging that I cannot contribute to the fulfillment of the promise—that is prayer.

 

Friends, when it comes to missions, the first thing to do is to understand what missions are through the Word. But secondly, what action clearly acknowledges that missions cannot be accomplished by my own strength? It is prayer.

 

Are you afraid of evangelism? In a time like today, if you're told to evangelize, you might say, "I have nothing to say, and I'm even ashamed to be a Christian, so evangelism is hard." That's true. Sometimes, churches even make evangelism difficult. But despite this, the act of evangelizing doesn't mean that your eloquence, your ability, your words, or even your life will impress someone or convey a message that leads them to believe in Jesus. The Bible teaches us what evangelism is, what kind of message God wants us to proclaim, and why God has never told us to 'save someone's soul.' Knowing all this, we simultaneously realize that we can only rely on God and seek His help. Without prayer, there is nothing that can be started.

 

Prayer is Life: A True Confession to God

As I said two weeks ago, prayer is not optional for believers. It's not merely about receiving more blessings or attaining a better faith. Prayer is your life. For a Christian, the absence of prayer is virtually a confession of "I live without relying on God." If you live without relying on God, how is that significantly different from saying, "I don't believe"? This is why prayer is so important.

 

You can do many works for God, possess extensive biblical knowledge. You can even know and recite systematic doctrines of the Bible, speak, and teach. You can preach. However, without prayer, all of this is, of course, nothing.

 

Isaac is confessing precisely this point. "I believe God's promise, but I acknowledge that I cannot help in the fulfillment of that promise by my own power or effort." This is because it is the most crucial starting point in prayer.

 

'Amen' is the Greatest Action: The Unity of Faith and Deeds

That being said, a person who prays certainly isn't inactive or idle. We often think, "Is prayer the end? Then can we do nothing but pray and wait?" But prayer, in another sense, is this: it's not saying 'Amen' to my own abilities, my own problems, or what I can do. Prayer is saying 'Amen' to God's will, God's power, and God accomplishing His work. Therefore, from that perspective, 'Amen' is one of the greatest actions. To rely on God—that is our greatest action.

 

In fact, we often separate faith and deeds. We talk about faith without deeds and deeds without faith, as if these two could exist separately. But in the Bible, faith and deeds always go together. If you confess faith, you will live a life of that faith. When Jesus was asked by people, "What are the works of God?" He replied, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." How great it is to 'believe'! Because when you say 'I believe,' it doesn't just mean, "Oh, yes, I believe God exists." You are believing what God has said, believing what God has done, and believing and relying on the commands God has given us. You are relying on God's command to love your neighbor as yourself.

 

Then what will your life be like? Naturally, you will strive for that Word to be manifested in your life. Your belief in God's Word is actually not static but far more dynamic. All your actions, efforts, service, and all your mission work and volunteering—all of this stems from 'Amen' through prayer. Otherwise, we probably won't reach the true Word. We cannot fully know God's will, so we cannot fully do God's work. Therefore, we have no choice but to rely on God, and that reliance can only be expressed by saying 'Amen' to God.

 

God's Command and Joy Towards Our Weakness

God knows that we are like this. Even though He clearly knows we are weak and cannot do everything ourselves, God commands us. This is because He knows we would otherwise tend to think, 'If I can't do anything anyway, isn't it best to just do nothing? Am I just hindering God's work?'

 

Isn't that true? As I said before, it was just yesterday that many people believed in Jesus, countless churches were built, and Christianity was said to be booming. But today, because of whom is evangelism difficult? Because of the countless churches that have been built, the proclamation of God's Gospel is actually being hindered. Are we doing God's work, or are we hindering it?

 

Honestly, the work you and I do often doesn't lead to progress or do better work for God; instead, the more we move, the more useless or even obstructive it becomes to God's work. Yet, God knows us so well that, surprisingly, He commands us.

 

This is similar to a situation where a mother in a family is making curry for dinner. The mother is busy buying, cutting, and preparing carrots and potatoes. Then her young daughter comes to her side, constantly asking, "Mom, what can I do? What can I do?" The daughter also wants to do something. Mom doesn't say, "Go to your room" because it's bothersome. Instead, she says, "Okay, go bring me a potato." The daughter brings a potato, and then when asked to "bring a cup of water," she brings water. She keeps asking, "Mom, what can I do?"

 

Finally, Mom finishes making the delicious curry and sits at the table with the whole family to eat. What does Mom say then? "Oh, our little daughter made all this!" Wouldn't any mother say that? Even though the daughter only brought a potato and a cup of water. Did she even do it well while bringing them? She might have dropped the potato and had to wash it again, or spilled the water and needed a rag to clean it up. The mother might have been continuously hindered by these things. Yet, when serving that one bowl, she says, "Our daughter made this." Why don't you understand God's heart this way?

 

Why don't you understand God's heart when He commands us, and when we ask, "What should we do? How should we do it? What must we do? We must live like this"? Can we do great things by our own efforts and save the world instead of God? Can we be crucified instead of God, or build God's kingdom? Can we even set a single jewel in the New Jerusalem? No.

 

Nevertheless, you will say to God, "God, what should I do? What should I do?" God wants to include you in His work, saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Because He is God.

 

All the work you do is not because you are good at it, or because you achieved great results, or accomplished something amazing. It is simply because you are God's child that God's heart is pleased. You and I want to meet God's gaze, want to look at God again, want to smile at God, want to cling to God. And we want to ask God more earnestly, "What should I do? What should I do?"

 

That's why good fathers and mothers keep asking their children to do things. "You try cutting this too. You bring that too." It's not about letting the child make delicious food perfectly. It's by involving you in the process of making the food, by considering you their father's joy, that it brings the greatest joy to God. God has called you in that way.

 

A Glimpse of God Amidst Problems

But we often think, "Dad or Mom will make it all anyway, so what's the point of going in there and cutting potatoes? What's the point of bringing potatoes? What's the point of bringing water? Mom can do it all, what help is needed?" That's right. But God is not like that. God calls you as if He wouldn't do anything without you.

 

Our Father knows better than we do how unprepared and weak we are. That's why He speaks to us. It's like a situation where, although parents wouldn't usually do this, looking at what the child has brought, it's uncertain whether curry can even be made for dinner tonight. The child keeps spilling and pouring water, not knowing if what they're bringing is right or wrong. Today, they might be asked to bring carrots but bring beets instead. How can curry be made with that?

 

Doubt and worry arise in the child's heart: 'Will I be able to eat dinner tonight? Will I have curry?' Then Mom says, "Don't worry. You will definitely eat curry tonight." That is Revelation. God tells us, "Don't worry. You will be victorious and you will surely win, and you will reign over this entire universe with me and share in its glory." First, He promises, 'You will be victorious,' 'You will surely win.' Therefore, don't worry, don't fret, don't give up, don't run away, don't cry alone in a corner, don't say, 'I can't do it' or 'It's no use.' He says, "Come, let's do it together." That's why the Lord makes us promises.

 

Promised Victory and 'Amen' to God

Friends, the promise of victory doesn't merely mean that God wins in war or history. It means that your sin will surely come to an end. God completely triumphs over sin. Your unspeakable, deeply hidden, stubborn nature will also surely end. Even the dirtiest, most hidden parts you wish to forget, which you can't control yourself, will eventually be exposed and brought to an end.

 

Dear friends, the problems you are facing right now will eventually end. Therefore, you have no reason to be completely overwhelmed by these problems and everything you're experiencing. You don't need to say 'Amen' to them, nor do you need to give them your attention.

 

Instead, we say 'Amen' to God. We say 'Amen' to His love. We say 'Amen' to how much He loves and cherishes us. Rather, we say 'Amen' to God's tears, 'Amen' to Jesus Christ's sighs, and 'Amen' to the prayers the Holy Spirit prays for us. And we say 'Amen' to the patience of God who cherishes us. This is because we clearly know the ultimate victory God has promised.

 

Friends, if death ends and sin ends, what won't end? Prayer helps you remember that even if problems seem huge before you, God's still-present and assisting hand does not seem small. When problems seem big, nothing else is visible, and even a small problem in front of our eyes can make us feel as if God isn't visible. At such times, what does prayer tell us? As we always hear in sermons, 'Don't keep that problem too close to your eyes; just push it back a little. Then you'll see God. Look at it through God's Word. Be strong.'

 

Whether we listen to a sermon a hundred times or pray ten thousand times, we eventually realize that while our ability to distance ourselves from this problem is meager, whether I bring this problem forward or push it back, God's loving hand toward me never changes. God doesn't go anywhere; He is still there helping me, still loving me, still with me, patiently enduring me with His unchanging hand, and accompanying me.

 

Through prayer, you confess that God hasn't gone anywhere just because problems obscure everything. God's hand has neither shortened nor weakened. The God who hears and loves you might leave the problem as it is until the end, but He will never leave you as you are until the end. We might pray for the problem to shrink, but God desires for you to become His son and daughter, to become His child. He wants your life, including all the things you worry about, to work together for God's good, because that is God's will and plan.

 

Friends, we know that problems have an end, and because we know that they end in God's victory, we have no reason to be frustrated or fall into worry. Let me repeat: Your problems have an end, and God's will will surely be fulfilled in the best way. Therefore, don't cry in a corner. Don't lose strength. Please don't think that my problem will end just like this. I will not remain tormented like this in my life. Don't you know that because of all these things, God's precious will will ultimately be accomplished?

 

Keep telling your Father, "Dad, what should I do? Dad, how can I do it?" Even if you drop all the things in your hand, even if you spill all the water and make a mess on the floor, your Father will never leave you, so don't worry. Keep asking. "Father, what should I do? How should I live? What can I do to please You? How can I participate in Your work?" Keep asking relentlessly. Be like a child.

 

Abraham and Isaac: God's Instruction Beyond Comparison

Finally, a word of caution from me. When comparing Abraham and Isaac, it's easy to misunderstand. Abraham, the man who didn't pray; Isaac, the man who did. So, one might think Isaac was good and Abraham was lacking. But what I want to convey is that Abraham's entire life was a life taught through 'prayer.' Didn't he tell Isaac at the end, "The Lord will provide"?

 

So, where did Isaac start from? He started from seeing 'the Lord will provide.' That's why he prayed. However, it doesn't mean his life started from a higher place. Now, God will continue to shape his life, and he will learn again. In Isaac's life, there is the life of Jesus Christ that God wants to show through Isaac, and in Abraham's life, there is the life of Jesus Christ that God wants to show and reveal through Abraham.

 

Abraham ultimately confesses what prayer is by saying, "God will provide." And Isaac, who saw God provide, the Isaac who knew the God of Moriah, will now learn what God will teach and shape in his life through Jacob and Esau. It's not about comparing who is better or worse; I am saying that each of us has a life lived before God.

 

Conclusion: Time to Say 'Amen' to God's Will

Therefore, dear friends, a ball is just a ball. Problems may seem varied, big, or small, but ultimately, a problem is just a problem. What you truly need to remember is not how big or significant the problem is. The important thing is, 'Do I know who God is?' and 'Do I know what it means for Him to hold my hand?' Yes, at that point, we realize that in Christ, we can respond with 'Amen' to everything.

 

The Bible clearly states: "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20).

 

The Lord who taught Abraham the truth of 'God provides,' what kind of God's kingdom will He teach Isaac this time? Isn't that the dynamic of the Bible?

 

Dear friends, now is the time to say 'Amen' to God's will.

 

"I gave my Son to atone for your sins" – Amen.

 

"I will glorify you" – Amen.

 

"Resist your sin to the point of shedding blood" – Amen.

 

"Through suffering, I will humble you and make you cling to the cross of Jesus" – Amen.

 

"Do not fear" – Amen.

 

"Look up to me. I will give you my kingdom as an inheritance." – Amen.

 

May this be your prayer.

 

Let Us Pray

Lord of indescribable grace and love, my Lord, my God, whom no words or explanations can fully describe. Help us to realize what we are missing. When this small problem, this ball before us, is so close to our eyes that it obscures You and makes You seem invisible, leaving our hearts heavy and distressed, Lord, cause us to fall to our knees again.

 

I will rely on You. Even if nothing is visible before my eyes, even if God seems invisible, I will rely on You. For You do not let go of my hand; You hold me and are with me, and even in all my mistakes and failures, even if I mess up Your kitchen and even dump garbage there, Lord, help me remember that You are the Lord who does not forget me, and enable me to ask You again: "Lord, what do You want me to do?"

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.