My friend and Navigator colleague Henry Clay is one of the best pray-ers I know. I remember when he was called on at a conference to lead us in prayer for one of our leaders who had cancer. Henry paced back and forth across the front of the room saying something like:

Lord, we ask that you would heal our brother. We don’t know what you want, but this is what we want: Sam is a leader, and he’s making a great contribution to advancing the Kingdom. He has many years of service left in him. Please heal him. – Henry Clay, praying for Sam Hershey

That was more than 10 years ago, and Sam is doing fine.

I asked Henry in private what his prayer secret was. He quoted Job:

Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments. (Job 23.3, 4, NKJV)

My first response was, “We don’t often get good instruction from the book of Job!” Henry said, “Maybe, but every time in the Bible that someone makes a case, argues with God, God seems to appreciate it.” Abraham bargained with God in Genesis 18. Moses interceded for the Israelites in Numbers 14, making a case based on God’s reputation among the nations.

Then I read a familiar text in a new way:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4.6, NIV)

“Present your requests to God.” I read that as making a case. And I’ve been known to write long letters making a case for some action. So I can do this!

This is not to say that every time we make a case to God or some other authority, we get what we want. I was lobbying for a particular decision in the Air Force once, and after about the third letter, the colonel said, “Bob. NO. Give it a rest.” I tried it during my prostate siege. “Lord, I have people I’ve had to cancel, people who want to meet with me. Here are their names. Shouldn’t I get well faster so I can do what you’ve called me to do?”

Instead, it dragged on, and I got this text from a friend:

I really appreciated how you consistently related your prostate issue to the Psalms. It was all faith all the way and never a lack of confidence. It really inspired me as a model for things I’m anxious about. I often think of a phrase I heard in church “Let go and let God” and it was useful for me to see you do this over months.

So maybe that’s one reason for the delay.

That said, I’m trying to remind myself to “make my case,” “present my requests.”

But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. (Job 13.3, NKJV)