I can scarcely imagine anyone ever praying a prayer like this.
So often our prayers are laced with requests of every sort. We pray for healing, well-being, intercession for the lost, and many other things. However, this prayer seems to be actually asking for death, or is it?
Repentance, in whatever capacity, is a component of salvation. Some say it is a requirement for salvation, while others say it is a response to salvation, either way it is most necessary.
I am not attempting to address that age old argument here. However, if we keep our evangelism efforts directed towards repentance, then either way you particularly believe, the Gospel gets preached.
You see, you cannot present the call to repentance without having previously covered the law, judgment, and Grace. Without these aspects, repentance simply will not make any sense.
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
2 Corinthians 7:10
Evangelizing towards repentance eliminates common “well meant” mistakes such as “asking Jesus into your heart”, “just believe”, “you’ve got a God shaped hole in your heart”, and “just accept Jesus”.
Also, because repentance is a work of the Lord, the evangelist is left free from the responsibility of conversion and left solely with the responsibility for carrying the Gospel.
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah 6:5
When an impenitent sinner is confronted with the truth of the law, and sin is exposed, judgment becomes reasonable and grace becomes amazing. Therefore, repentance becomes the only option.