My tradition for several years now is to decorate my house while watching It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s an iconic story and since its debut in 1946 has been the bedrock of many stories: a desperate soul discovers that his disappointing life has meaning. There are several things I like about the movie but a couple of things do bother me. 1) When things go terribly wrong, George Bailey (James Stewart) reacts quite violently towards many people—including his wife and children. 2) After George punches a policeman and runs from him, the officer fires four gunshots at him! 3) When George cannot figure out what to do to solve his problem he prays this prayer: God. Oh God. Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.
It’s a moving moment. It’s a tender scene. James Stewart (George Bailey) actually teared up when it was filmed—which was not scripted, but Stewart became emotional when he said the lines and Director Frank Capra kept it in the film. But frankly, at its core, this prayer is nothing more than a frantic cry for help from an agnostic man. Think about it. George is not in the habit of praying. I’m not a praying man. He is not even sure there is a God! If you’re up there. And even if God is up there, George is not sure God hears him. If you can hear me. But still George asks this God he has never (or rarely) talked to who may (or may not) be able to hear him for guidance. Show me the way. Why does George suddenly pray to this elusive God? Because he can’t think of any other solution to his problems. I’m at the end of my rope. God is his last resort.
I must say that Hollywood nailed it—meaning, this is probably the most common prayer of all. I dare say that many agnostics and atheists and addicts and even church-going people have prayed this kind of prayer. I find it offensive and irreverent, but God does not. Does God answer prayers like this? Yes, he does! God longs to hear from everyone and is ready to help anyone. Jesus told his followers, “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”1 What this means is that God hears and answers every prayer from everyone—regardless of the kind of prayer or the state of the pray-er.
So, according to scripture, when we need help, all we have to do is ask God for answers, guidance, and deliverance, and he will give us what we need! This is fantastic! The real question, then, is why are people waiting until they are in dire circumstances before praying to God? It’s because of the first concept George Bailey (James Stewart) uttered in his prayer: I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there. . . Clearly, what this statement means is that the person does not know if God exists but hopes he does. I think everyone wants to believe in God. The problem is that most people do not think about God except when they are in a crisis. They go to God to be rescued. And that’s the extent of the relationship.
Rescuing is absolutely what God does. David wrote, “In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!”2 The line actually sounds a lot like George Bailey’s prayer! God wants to help, but if going to God for rescue is all that we do, we are missing out on all the other things that God wants to give us—like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”3—little things like that. David was in the habit of going to God for more than rescue: “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come.”4
We need not wait for a crisis to go to God. When we go to God “continually,” he will become more than a God who rescues us. When we approach God often and with our every need, we will really begin to experience a wonderful life!
1Matthew 7:8 2Psalm 71:2 3Galatians 5:22-23 4Psalm 71:3