As I've suggested in this series, I think a theology of petitionary prayer should shift away from a focus on either mechanics (positing some causal theory about how petitionary prayer "works") or providence (trying to posit some explanation about why some petitions get answers and others not) to focus, rather, upon time. A theology of petitionary prayer teaches us that we pray in two times, here in the penultimate and in proleptic anticipation of the ultimate. Experientially speaking, praying in "two times" means that petitionary prayer is a mixture of lament and hope. And from a pastoral perspective, many of our problem with petitionary prayer come from tipping into a "one time" framework, either holding overly optimistic and triumphalistic expectations for petitionary prayer here in the penultimate or experiencing hopeless futility in petitionary prayer by losing sight of the ultimate.
Here, then, in this final post, let me conclude by suggesting that there is, ever, only one petition behind all our petitions. Our single petition, the petition behind all our petitions, is this: "Maranatha!"
As you likely know, this Aramaic phrase occurs only once in the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 16.22, and is translated as "Come, Lord!" The petition is also echoed in Revelation 22.20: "Come, Lord Jesus."
Let me suggest that this petition--"Come, Lord Jesus"--is the petition behind all our petitions, especially whenever we pray against death and evil. "Come, Lord Jesus" is praying in two times, for "Come, Lord Jesus" is a simultaneous expression of both lament and hope. Lament for the fact that the Lord has not yet returned, that here in the penultimate the powers of death and evil remain at large. But also hope in the knowledge that our prayers against death and evil have been heard and will be answered in God's reconciliation of all things.
A theology of petitionary prayer teaches us that all our petitions are folded into the lament and hope of our single, constant petition:
"Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus."
