Good Morning, Meetpastordan Readers…Isn’t it interesting, or amazing, or baffling how “life” can get in the way of things, even things we revere and hold dear, like praying? And the truth is, we’re all vulnerable, regardless of how “seasoned” we think we are. That slight veering “off course” is so subtle, it can go unnoticed for awhile. But eventually we become aware that something is different; something is missing in our life, so we start searching for that missing piece in the “peace and serenity” puzzle. Such was the case for Pam and me last week as we drove home after spending our 12th anniversary weekend at Lake of the Ozarks with dear friends, Lisle and Danie.
Our conversation began like this: “Well, how would you sum-up our first twelve years together.” Once we enumerated the pluses, we both agreed that “something” was missing, so we started to look for answers by dissecting how our life has changed in the past year. Here is what we concluded: because Pam (with my support) made a decision not to let her new job with Monsanto interfere with her personal time to read, study, pray and power-walk, she committed herself to getting up at 4:00am so she could get it all done and still be at work at 7:30am. That, however, means going to bed at 8:00pm.
I, on the other hand, get along quite well on 61/2 -7 hours of sleep, so I’m up until 10-10:30 almost every night. But I have to admit, I do treat myself by sleeping in until 5:00am. (Old newsboy habits die hard.) 🙂 When Pam gets home from her walk, I’m on my walk with Cliff and Glenn; when I get home, she’s in the shower; when she gets out of the shower, I’m at the gym, etc. The point is, we both allowed our “new” life schedule to edge out our prayer time together, and that’s what has been missing. While individual prayer is necessary and meaningful, praying together as a couple and inviting Him into the midst of our relationship is like braiding a rope with three strands rather than two strands. That rope becomes virtually unbreakable. Consequently, even though I had another thought in mind for today’s blog, I was drawn to revisit the power of prayer because it is indispensable to our growth as followers of Jesus Christ. So let me define “prayer” as I intend to use it in this writing. I believe prayer is a conversation between God and me, and that conversation can take place anytime, anyplace, and under any circumstance.
One of the reasons for Jesus’ coming to earth was to demonstrate for us how to live-out the Word of God. John 1:14 tells us: “The Word became flesh (human) and lived among us.” He did this as the Son of Man, which means he took on the lowly form of man, living as a human being and experiencing the world as a human being, but still maintaining his Deity (oneness) with God. In John 14:9, Jesus said to Philip: “Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…” And in Philippians, 2:6-8 we are told: “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Nothing was more profound in Jesus words than his exalted dependence on the Father. For instance, John 5:19-20 tells us: “I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and tells him everything he is doing…” And again in John 5:30, Jesus said: “But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God, who sent me. It is not merely my own.” Luke 22: 41-44 shows Jesus’ humanness (fear) as the Son of Man, yet his unwavering obedience to the Father: “He walked away (from the disciples) about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me? Yet I want your will, not mine.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed even more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.” And again, when Jesus prayed for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, he prayed out loud so the crowd would know that his power came from God. John 11:41-43 tells us: “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.’ Then Jesus shouted, ‘Lazarus, come out!”
Since God created us (his Proudest Creation) for a relationship with himself, nothing pleases him more than when we come to him in prayer. And nothing accelerates the growth of that relationship more than frequent, persistent prayer because God wants to be part of our lives. He was very clear in Jeremiah 29:11-14 where he offered this promise, then told us how to receive it: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you.” Notice the keyword “wholeheartedly”. God knows the state of our hearts. When our hearts are soft and committed, we have his attention and his smile.
When Jesus’ disciples asked him how to pray, he gave them this model. Let’s look at the model and analyze it as we go.
- Adoration: worship and praise:
Our Father, who art in heaven – The God Jehovah, Creator of the universe who resides in heaven, also wants us to come to him relationally, as “Abba Father” (daddy). Jesus made this possible.
Hallowed be your name – Majestic, Honored, Glorified
- Thanksgiving:
Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven – God’s Kingdom came to earth in the form of Jesus and is expanding today as more accept his Gift of Grace. But we are still awaiting the return of Christ and the re-establishment of the holy city, the New Jerusalem where everything will be His will.
- Petition: Make our requests known to God
Give us this day our daily bread – providing for both our physical needs and spiritual needs
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others who trespass against us – pointing to our relational need. We are to forgive others just as God has forgiven us
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil – God never tempts us, but we count on him to be our shield and protector as we “live in the shelter of the Most High and find rest in the shadow of the Almighty”. (Psalm 91)
- Doxology: Closing…again recognizing His magnificence
For your’s is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory forever.- A mirroring of the immutable Trinity which will last forever.
The more we pray and grow in our relationship with God, the more joy-filled our life becomes. Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. If you do this you will experience God’s peace.” And again in Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul tells us: “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is Gods will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
So what do we deduce from all of this? Clearly God wants us to be active in our part of this desired relationship, and dependence on him is the trigger that opens windows of heaven for the blessings to flow. It’s all about humility and the state of our heart. This is summed up in James 4:10: “When we bow down (come humbly) before the Lord and admit our dependence on him, he will lift us up and give us honor!” No doubt God has made his intentions clear. He wants us – all of us – to spend eternity with him, Jesus and all other Christ-followers in Paradise. The choice is yours!
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May God Bless Ya…
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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