Digging Deeper: What Would Jesus Pray?
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
John 11:38-42 (ESV)
WHAT WOULD JESUS PRAY?
Sometimes we move too quickly.
We rush to solve a problem, give an answer, or offer a solution.
But in John 11, just before one of the seven miracles John records, Jesus does something unexpected:
He pauses. He prays.
Lazarus had been dead for four days. The tomb was sealed. Everyone was grieving.
Jesus had just wept. And now, He stands at the grave of His friend—fully prepared to bring him back to life.
But before He calls Lazarus out of the tomb, He lifts His eyes.
Jesus is about to demonstrate His divine power, but first, He acknowledges His divine relationship.
This isn’t a prayer where Jesus is seeking power He lacks—He already has it.
He prays because He lives in constant, unbroken communion with the Father.
Jesus also makes it clear that His prayer isn’t only for God—it’s also for the people around Him.
He wants them to see His ongoing, moment-by-moment dependence on the Father.
His public prayer becomes a visible invitation for others to believe.
And through that prayer, Jesus shows them (and us) that this isn’t some spiritual performance or magic trick.
Four days is a long time for a body in a sealed tomb.
Jesus doesn’t want people to simply witness a miracle—
He wants them to believe in the power of God.
That day, Jesus did the impossible—again.
But before the miracle came the prayer.
In the face of overwhelming need, do you pause to pray?
Do you lift your eyes before you lift your voice?
Or do you rush ahead, hoping God will meet you somewhere along the way?
We often act first and pray later.
But Jesus models something different: a pace of trust, not panic.
It might feel easier to be patient when a body has already been in the grave (after all, where’s it going?)…
But what about when your kids frustrate you, your boss is unkind, or a deadline looms?
How can you show the same dependence on God in those moments?
If you’re struggling to bring the impossible to God today, try coming to Him the way Jesus did:
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Lift your eyes – Acknowledge who truly holds the power.
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Thank Him – Even before you see any results.
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Pray publicly when needed – Not to perform, but to point others to the Father.
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Believe that He hears you – Even when you don’t yet see the grave open.
Sometimes we’re waiting on God to move.
But sometimes… He’s waiting for us to lift our eyes.
Take a moment today—right now—and walk through those prayer prompts.
Pause. Lift your eyes. He is listening.
Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.