The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Prayers and Promises and UR

Evangelical Universalism
#1

I think I’ve come to believe that many of our prayers will not be answered and many of God’s promises will not be fulfilled until after we die.
I’m not a great pie in the sky in the great by and by kind of guy, but there are just so many disappointments and loose ends in life that I can’t come to any other conclusion.
And this is why I think universal reconciliation is such a beautiful thing… it’s a hope that in the end all will be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
Of course, we don’t really know what that would even look like, because this broken and imperfect world is all that we know, but still, we could hold it as a hope in our hearts, even if it a somewhat vague and inarticulate hope, only because what we have now is faith, and not sight.
Anyways, that’s kind of the conclusion I’ve come to… some prayers will be answered, and some promises will be fulfilled, in this life, but not even close to all.

What do you guys think?

#2

I strongly agree with you, Matt. No question about it. For example, the much desired and longed for peace and community of love on earth . . . while we are commanded to work towards it, we mustn’t get discouraged by knowing that we will not and cannot achieve it in this present age. I don’t think that any of the work we may do in seeking that end will be wasted, but on the other hand, we will not reach that goal in this age.

#3

Yeah, I figured nobody would argue with this. One would have to put on some serious blinders to say otherwise I think… that and I think it is one of main things that makes UR so appealing, because it answers a lot more questions, or hopes out hope for those answers anyway. :slight_smile:

#4

Not long after I posted the OP, I was going through my journal and ran across one of my ‘letters from God’ that I wrote down a couple months ago that speaks to all of this, or at least some of it does I think. Thought I might share it, as it may encourage others here as it has encouraged me. :slight_smile:

Here it is:

Child Of Longing,

I hear the cries of your heart. I always have, I always will, and I will answer.
Life does not always go as you planned it, or wished it to, but trust in me, and you will have strength, and life, for today, and for tomorrow.
Remember that I am your strength, and I am your refuge, and no storm can capsize your soul, for I am your captain, and I will lead you and guide you to shore.
When you look up at the stars at night, you find them beautiful, and they are, my son.
One of the reasons I made men was so someone could look up and appreciate, and contemplate, my handiwork, and this brings me great joy.
But I want you to know that when I have completed my work in you, you will shine even brighter than the stars.
The light within you is more beautiful, more powerful, than any light you may see in the heavens.
I know that you often feel weak and small, in this big world, in this vast universe, and that even now you sometimes feel afraid, afraid of me, or afraid of yourself, afraid that your hopes will be dashed, your dreams shattered, or that your longing will go unanswered or will lead you nowhere.
I understand your fears, and I know the weight of them.
But fear not, little one, fear not.
There is strength and greatness in you that you can’t yet see, for I have not made you to be nothing or no one, but to be something, and someone.
I have made you to be a vessel of my love and my light, and I have made you to be my son.
And you need not be afraid of me, for I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, and as I have said before, and do not mind repeating, I am your hope, and your future, and your home.
And you need not be afraid of yourself, for my light is greater than any darkness there is in you, and that darkness will not remain forever, you can be assured of that, for I am at work.
And your hopes and your dreams are safe and secure in my hands. Some of these I will fulfill in time, and others not, but only because I have something better in mind for you, something that would bring you even greater joy.
And the longing, the aching, that you sometimes feel, I share in it, and one day you will be able to see and understand how I have, and how deeply I have, shared in it.
And the burdens that you carry, those that care for you may seek to share them, to share the load, but as fellow human beings, they can only do so much.
But there is far more that I can do.
Remember that I am always with you, and always for you.

               - joyously yours, Papa
#5

From a somewhat different direction, I’ve long held a theory (though I’ve never worked it out in detail) that universal salvation from sin is the best (and maybe only) way to account for Christ’s promises that anything we ask in His name will be certainly granted no matter how extravagant it is.

Specifically, since His name is Jesus (“The Lord Saves” or “The Lord is Salvation”), the only prayer we can be sure He will certainly grant is to save someone from sin. He was named “Jesus” for He will save His people from their sins (as it is written in GosLuke); but the extravagance of His promises about granting prayers in His name indicates the scope is at least beyond what Calvinists would expect (who rightly insist on the name of Jesus pointing to an assurance beyond the scope of what Arminians expect).

Indeed the scope each way might be called BEYOND THE IMPOSSIBLE! :sunglasses: As Christ answers the astonished question of the apostles, “Then who can be saved?!” “With men, it is impossible. But with God, all things are possible!”

“Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable – row, row, fight the power!”

#6

Beautiful, Matthew. That’s your Dad talking to you (and us) for sure! No doubt in my heart.

Jason! Absolutely – wonderful. :smiley:

#7

Hear, hear, Jason :slight_smile: I’ve thought along similar lines myself :slight_smile:

And thanks for the encouragement, Cindy :slight_smile:

Blessings to you :slight_smile: