Do I pray to a God of fish or a God of serpents?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:9-12

Over the years, I often come across the “vending-machine” view of God that many pastors view as the great pitfall of North American churches. Coming to God only when we want something or have run into trouble (again) creates a Santa Claus version of the Lord we serve, turning our devotional time into a reading of our current wish list.

This is a dangerous pitfall, there’s no argument against that; however, in my personal walk, focusing on this truth alone can make me forget the simpler, beautiful fact that we serve a God that answers prayers. Always. Whether it’s in an expected way or not, we have the gift of direct communication with God through Jesus.

Since 2020 began, something I have been praying over has been a peace of heart. As I come closer to my fourth and final year of undergrad, milestone decisions begin floating around in my head. Will I keep studying? Will I enter the workforce? Will I even stay in Toronto, the city I’ve lived in my entire life?

In the midst of these questions, the world stopped when COVID-19 descended globally in March and uncertainty was heightened all the more -- I hardly know what the next few months will look like, let alone the next few years.

And yet, I don’t feel anxious. I don’t feel nervous. I’m not running every possible scenario in my head, trying to make sure the path I choose is forged. Initially, that fact was what concerned me; my lack of anxiety made me believe that I wasn’t thinking about my future life decisions enough or taking my choices into consideration seriously.

Then, while reading Jesus’ words in Matthew 7, I realized that He had simply answered my request for peace. There were no strings attached and I wasn’t given an out-of-the-box surprise lesson through my asking for peace. God was simply good in answering my prayer. The fact that I felt such surprise in this, and didn’t even fully realize that He answered my prayers until reading Scripture, leads me to check my own heart. In my effort to not view God with a prosperity-lens, I’d painted a picture of Him as one who gives a serpent when I ask for a fish. I’d forgotten the simpler truth that He is a loving Father, and I am His child whom He loves.

This is not to say that the danger of a vending-machine God isn’t a factor, or that I haven’t fallen into that previously. This is not to say that God doesn’t give us unexpected, out-of-the-box lessons when we predict a simple answer. God is both/and. He offers us simple truths and reveals complexity in His character and plan simultaneously.

Ultimately, we can know that God is one love, be it a time of confusion or ease, hardship, or prosperity. Love is the “bond of perfection” that covers all His commands and will play the foundational role in all of our prayers. We can trust and rest easy in this, always.