When the criminal on the cross requested Jesus to remember him in His kingdom, was it all that was to his prayer? No. Earlier he had indicated what he thought about himself, that he deserved the punishment that he was getting. This was what formed the foundation for his prayer. The prodigal son asked his father to treat him like a servant, because he considered himself unworthy to be called a son. What would have happened if the criminal had prayed for acceptance without the acknowledgement of his sins, or if the prodigal son had just walked in and claimed his place back as a son?
Sometimes this is what happens when people pray. A man who is in heavy debt prays for God to do a miracle and clear up his debt, and a couple whose marriage is on the verge of breaking up prays for a supernatural restoration of relationship. Sadly there are pastors who proclaim that all we need to do in any kind of distress is to pray to God and that He will do a miracle. But what if acknowledgement of sin and repentance are not present?
If the debt has come up because of years of careless spending or impetuous decisions, what will happen if God clears it up miraculously and the man has not learnt any lesson? Imagine if the couple has been neglecting to take care of their relationship for a long time, will it suddenly become happy and stay like that for long if they have not learnt to change?
Many times we suffer because of our mistakes. But when the consequences hit us, we want to be delivered from the suffering that has come, but many times we don't even pause to examine why we are suffering now. Then there is no realisation that it was our own doing. When we pray for relief we get upset with God for not taking the consequences away, as if it was His fault! This is how sin has muddled our thinking.
We must remember that God is not just a loving and gracious God who forgives us, is patient with us and is willing to hear and answer our prayers. He is also a God of justice who cannot let the guilty sinners go away without punishment (Nah.1:3). If we have done wrong and we have not even admitted it, how can He just take away the consequences?
But when we confess our sins, He will forgive us (1Jn.1:9). God has already placed the punishment for all our sins on His Son when He died on the cross. When we admit our sins and go to God for forgiveness, He is able to grant it to us, because it is already paid for and waiting. But if we just ask for blessings from Him without having cleared the guilt of our sins, God cannot grant them to us.
Jas.5:14-16 illustrates this point. We can always go to God and ask for healing from sickness, and if this sickness was not specifically due to our sins, there is no problem. But if we know in our heart that this particular sickness is due to some sin we have committed, then is it not justice that we should first confess our sins before asking for healing? Perhaps this is what is lacking in many prayers.