All in Prayer
Do you have questions about faith, or revelations about yourself that you need to communicate to God? Are there things so personal that you blush with embarrassment and shame at the mere thought of them? These are the most pressing things that you need to reveal to the Lord, and they require a secret place where you can be absolutely open and honest with Him.
Do we think that we are spiritually wealthy? Do we think that we have succeeded in our faith to the point where we are not only righteous, but perhaps we feel that we are on the verge of becoming holy? If our chests are puffed up in our spiritual walk, and we feel that all our blessings are well deserved, then at our best, we are only on the cusp of faith, and are worshipping ourselves.
God speaks to us, and asks us to do something, but at that particular moment it is inconvenient for us, so we say “I will do it tomorrow Lord”, and we go about our business, however, when we are faced with a trial in our own lives we pray for His relief, and expect Him to answer immediately. Does this sound familiar? So often we hold God to a standard of immediacy that we ourselves would never agree to, and yet we treat the God of all creation as though he was our personal servant; sent to do our bidding. Why is it that we lose faith, or become angry with God when in our minds He is slow to act? In fact, is that really true?
Are we feeling anxious today? Do we fret over the challenges which this particular day will bring as it unfolds before us? If so, what is the solution that we will employ, and feel inclined to pursue? Our God is mighty indeed, but he has no greater might, nor presents us with any more profound mercy, than that of His love, because all else is made real, perfected, and witnessed through its application. Are we simply applying our own taste of love to the personal pilgrim’s journey of faith that we find ourselves on? Have we chosen to apply God’s love as a random mortar between the stones of our belief.. and sometimes disbelief?
Do we pray simply to receive those things that an omnipotent God can give to us, or do we pray that we receive those things that are part and parcel of His will? How did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane? He prayed that If it were God’s will that this cup be removed from Him, but more than that, He prayed that not His will but God’s will be done. How do we pray? Do we pray that whatever we desire be given to us, or whatever calamity we are facing will be lifted from us? Do we ask these things without concern for the will of God, or do we pray that God’s will be done?
When we begin our day do we start it in prayer, or walk right back into yesterday’s problems without looking to God for His help and guidance? How about when calamity is upon us, those times when our world is collapsing around us, do we run blindly in whatever direction, or do we fall to our knees where we are, and pray? Our ability to trust in God, and pray without being distracted by the world, is a practiced gift, and some gifts we receive require us to put them together, or to learn how to use them... such is the gift of prayer.