Why should I thank God ahead of time, as it were? It doesn’t at first make sense. But if we think about it, we can see what Paul is getting at. Paul is essentially calling on us to trust God’s sovereign rule of history and of our lives. He is telling us that we will never be content unless, as we make our heartfelt request, we also acknowledge that our lives are in his hands, and that he is wiser than we are. That is what you are doing when you thank him for whatever he is going to do with your request. This is of course the essence of those two crucial verses, one in the Old Testament and one
...more
