Ask in My Name

Matthew 18:19 - Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about anything, it will become for them from my father in heaven.

I struggle with this passage because clearly this does not happen. Some people get what they pray about and others do not. One might say that there is an unspoken condition - that it works only if what we pray for is God's will. Well, our wills are not God's and the passage clearly says anything. It could be translated each thing but that is not different. I found some help in the struggle yesterday in Henri Nouwen's writing - it is not Jesus' miracles that should amaze us but rather Jesus' compassion.

So it is not getting what we want that should be focused on here - but the compassion and communal aspect of the idea. God's compassion but also our own. I'm still not sure exactly what this mash up looks like but I'm putting these thoughts down so I can go deeper. So the question I will be thinking on today is "How does this passage (in conjunction with the following verse) demonstrate God's compassion?

Perhaps it is as easy as God's desire to give us good things, God's desire to love us, God's presence with us.
B