I remember reading something by Peter Kreeft that included these words of wisdom. “God has three answers to prayer: “Yes,” “later,” and “I’ve got a better idea.” I’ve mulled that over for months, and I’ve seen it hold true again and again. I’d always heard, “Sometimes, God says No!” And, of course, “I’ve got a better idea” IS God saying “no,” but it’s saying “no” in an invitation-to-deeper-faith way.
In each of the readings this week, there is a serious dilemma. In each of the readings there is or has been serious prayer to God to resolve the dilemma. In each of the readings God has a better idea to resolve the dilemma.
All this is interesting—and potentially very helpful to us. We pray. Usually, if we are honest, our prayer includes OUR idea of how God could-should use his power to resolve the problem. We kind of wait for God to do OUR will.
And, bluntly, we are frequently disappointed at first—because God has a better idea. Sometimes, I have not even seen that God’s idea was better until I saw the fruits of it. “Oh ye of little faith!” I think God says to me very often. “Be patient and taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”
I Kings 19:9a, 11-13a
Elijah is in big trouble. Ahaz is king of Israel, “and Ahaz did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all that were before him.” (I Kings 16:30) Specifically, he took Jezebel as his wife and began to worship Baal, the god of her people. There was a big showdown between Elijah, representing YHWH, and 800 prophets of Baal. YHWH sent fire down to consume Elijah’s sacrifice, then Elijah took that opportunity to slay 800 prophets of Baal. Needless to say, that got him in a lot of trouble with Jezebel, and she was after him to kill him.
Elijah flees to Mt. Horeb (also known as Mt. Sinai). This is the mountain where God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Elijah goes there, both to be physically hard for Jezebel’s minions to find him and to be close to God.
It is there—and in the first reading today—that God has a better idea. The better idea is that in the future the prophets of YHWH will speak God’s truth for kings and others to consider, rather than take responsibility to personally call down God’s wrath. Elijah “gets it.” God sends storm, earthquake, and fire, but YHWH himself is not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. God waits to come to Elijah in “a still small voice.” Elijah recognizes God’s Presence, covers his face, and stands in the door of the cave where he is hiding. God then tells Elijah what he is to do: anoint some new kings, including a king of Syria; those kings will take care of punishing Ahaz and Jezebel; anoint Elisha as the new prophet of Israel; and then retire. Elijah was a great prophet and so “he departed from there” and did as God commanded. And the role of prophet changed thereafter.
Biblical scholars say this was a great bend in the stream of God’s prophecy. It was a movement from overt physical power to the power of Truth. After Elijah, it was not the job of prophets to impose God’s will on kings or peoples. Instead, it became the power of God’s Word to speak God’s ways so people could and would CHOOSE to follow God’s ways.
We all know that hasn’t worked perfectly through the centuries, but that change crescendoed through the years to find fulfillment in Jesus—and his Church. It was a better idea that brought God’s Truth and power to a much larger circle of humanity. And it was a better way to solve Elijah’s dilemma.
Romans 9:1-5
In this snippet of Romans, Paul’s dilemma is that no matter how hard he tries, he is unsuccessful at convincing the Jews that Jesus really is the Messiah they have been waiting for. God’s choice to come Himself in Christ to save the whole world by his death and resurrection, rather than war, may have been a better idea than a David-like king who would physically defeat the Romans, but God’s chosen people did not believe it. Paul himself had not believed it. Jesus had appeared to him on the road to Damascus and Paul was converted. Paul is agonizing because, though in every town he visits he first goes to preach in the synagogue, typically only a few people in the Jewish community convert to believe in Jesus. Again and again, when he goes to the Gentiles, there is much wider acceptance of Christianity.
Again, God had a better idea. God knew that Christianity was not meant to be a Jewish activity. It was meant to be a whole new way for God to be in the WHOLE WORLD. Anyone and everyone could follow Jesus and belong to YHWH’s family.
Matthew 14:22-33
The backstory to this Gospel is really important to understanding its meaning. Jesus has been trying to get some time to be alone with the Father for a while. It started when he heard of the death of John the Baptist. “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart.” 100% human that Jesus was, he wanted some time to grieve his cousin, think about what John’s death might mean for him, and talk to his Father about it.
But the Father had a better idea. “But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.” Jesus saw them, had compassion on them, taught them all day—then fed them as evening came. This was when he fed the 5000.
Doubtless, Jesus by this time is not only hungry for prayer time, but also in need of rest. So he dismisses the crowds and sends the disciples away in the boat that brought him there. He finally gets his prayer time! By the time he finishes, it is the 4th watch of the night—between 3 am and 6 am. Jesus is up high. He can see his disciples in the boat going across the Sea of Galilee. Uh-oh! There is trouble. A storm is coming up and tossing the boat about.
I wonder if Jesus sighed or smiled as he said to himself and the Father, “Back to work!” Did he grimace at the Father and say, “Couldn’t I have had one WHOLE night off?” Probably not! Probably he saw immediately that once again the Father had a better idea!
This is where a part of the story that is only in the Gospel of John is important. This day that has not yet dawned is going to be a very important one. The crowds are going to come looking for Jesus again. But Jesus is going to know they are as interested in eating their fill as they are following the Word of God. He is going to say some things that are going to cause many disciples to turn away from him—things like “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,” “I am the bread of life,” and “as the living Fater sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.”
This is a day when many disciples will leave Jesus because they don’t understand. Jesus does not want these specifically chosen disciples to be tempted to leave, too. So—he walks out to the boat on the water. They are frightened—yes! But they are safe AND they have the experience of doubting and almost sinking (Peter), as well as the experience of witnessing Jesus in his Divinity.
God’s Better Ideas Today
So many, many times in my life God has had a better idea: when I found out I couldn’t give birth to children, when my house burned, when family troubles came, when I was widowed, when….. I’ve been so blessed with God listening to my prayers, then answering them in ways that I would never have imagined.
How about you? Today might be a good day to spend some time thinking about times in your life that you wanted something and prayed earnestly for it. You didn’t get what you had in mind as the solution to your dilemma, but God did answer your prayers in a way that you eventually could see as better.
Or, perhaps you need God to have a better idea for you today. You are running from some Jezebel problem or, no matter how hard you try, you can’t reach people you love with goodness, or you are exhausted or in the middle of a storm.
God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have been where you are. AND they are God, they have a vision and Wisdom you cannot have. Pray earnestly. Even say, “Lord, if you have a better idea, please answer my prayer with it.”
And see what God does.
Prayer:
Lead me, guide me, Lord. With all your better ideas.
