12/07/2024
Prayer, the Word of God, and creation, go hand in hand because all of creation is made holy by the Word of God and prayer. That is a thought worth contemplating. Have we ever considered that our prayers might be helping to bring goodness, and holiness, to creation?
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”
1 Timothy 4:4-5 ESV
We should take this scripture to heart, and realize that our prayers have physical ramification that touch all of creation. Pastor E. M. Bounds was giving thought to this when he wrote these words...
"God's good gifts are holy, not only because of God's creative power, but because they are made Holy by prayer."
When we take the Word of God into ourselves we understand His will, and when we understand His as it governs His creation, then our prayers become effective. It is in this way that our praying contributes to the holiness of God's creation. Pastor Bounds speaks to our understanding of God's will by saying...
"Doing God's will is essential for effectual praying. You may ask, how are we to know what God's will is? The answer is by studying His Word and by letting the Word dwell in us richly."
Yes, understanding the will of God is not enough, we need to take it to heart; in this way we bring it into us, and make it a part of who we are, and what we long for, then, and only then, can we live within it. Knowing, accepting, believing in, and finally doing God's will are all required of us, and this brings our prayers into their fullness. When we are at last doing the true will of God then our praying become proper and contributors to the holiness of creation.
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”
Hebrews 10:36 ESV
When we are early in our relationship with the person who we wish to be our spouse, it is easy to say the words "I love you", and we really believe we do, but until we fully understand the depth of that love, and begin living our lives based on it, then we haven't experienced love at all. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) came to that realization, and on his 25th wedding anniversary he said:
"Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century." - Samuel Clemens
Loving God, understanding His will, and living our lives fully as He would have us do requires time as well. Each day brings us closer and each Bible verse we read reveals His love and desire to us more completely. Every moment of happiness, each sorrow, and all the experiences of tribulation, teach us of Him, and bring us to a new level of faith, an increased understanding of Him, and a deeper knowledge regarding His will for us.
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”
1 Corinthians 7-10 ESV
I wonder what Mark Twain would have said on his 50th wedding anniversary... would he have commented on the perfection of love by saying "it appears that we loved as completely as anyone could possibly love when at our 25th anniversary?" No, because love knows no bounds... and God's Word tells us this in 1st Corinthians 13. Such is faith and our understanding of God; it is ever increasing, and our prayers, as a result, are likewise more effective as we immerse ourselves in God's will, and measure by measure bring holiness to his creation with each prayer we pray.
Father, draw me ever closer through your Word. Reveal to me more and more of your essence, and lead me in living out your will. Lord, let my prayers align themselves with your love and desire, allowing me to lend holiness to your creation. In this I will give you thanks, and praise you without ceasing, like a flowing spring that ever bubbles forth in clear, pure, water.
Rich Forbes
Prayer:
Thank you Father for your creation, for giving us dominion over it, and allowing us to assist you in making it holy by our prayers. Father, draw us ever closer through your Word. Reveal to us more and more of your essence, and lead us in living out your will. Lord, let our prayers align themselves with your love and desire, allowing us to lend holiness to your creation. In this we will give you thanks, and praise you without ceasing, like a flowing spring that ever bubbles forth in clear, and pure, water, we will praise, adore, and worship you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who loves us with no bounds, no beginning, and no end. Holy are you who has given us prayer, and whose Spirit leads us in it. Beautiful and amazing is your creation, and we beseech you that through our prayers to you it will be made even more holy, and that we will do nothing physically or spiritually, to diminish it... your creation, your holiness, and your will. For the smallest particles of creation to the entirety of the universe, we offer our prayers. From the first moment of infatuation to the ever growing strength of love, we offer our prayers for your creation. From the onset of wonder to the most overwhelming awe we offer prayer. And even from the tiniest fear we feel in those things which you have created, the storms, the earthquakes, and the floods, we call out to you with the intensity of our terror. We ask in these intense moments, in every hopeful prayer, for your calming reassurance, and for your infusion of holiness in these moments you have created. We thank you Abba for all of creation and our part in it. We thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who you lovingly sent to join us both spiritually, and physically in this world, in these bodies, and in all of your creation… we pray now and always that you pour out your holiness upon the entirety of your creation, on us, and on Him your Son… our redeemer. Bless us in this way Father that we might bless you, and bring glory to your name forevermore. Bless us in holiness and righteousness that we will remain in the presence of your holiness for eternity.
In awe of all creation, and in prayer for holiness, we say Amen, Amen, Amen!
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27
“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
Leviticus 19:2 ESV
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness”
Psalm 29:2 ESV
Rich Forbes