Prayer is such an important part of the Christian life.
I've known all the academics and theology behind prayer ... the Lord's Prayer is the greatest of prayers ... Luther saying that (1) Prayer is the breath of the Christian life ... and (2) that if he has mountains of work to do in any given day he knew he needed to get up earlier and pray more to accomplish anything ...
I know the Bible also also says that we have not because we ask not ... that we should pray in Jesus' Name because it is only for His name's sake that our prayers are answered ... that when we pray in the realm of the temporal and material we pray that God's will be done ... because nothing else matters ... even that God will answer prayer, and that in His strength he can do anything, that in His wisdom He knows whats best, but that in His love He will do what's best ...
I know a lot about prayer ... but until I pray, that knowledge doesn't do much good. I can have a good understanding and a correct theology ... and in terms of prayer ... be dead right. For far too long in my life I've known a good deal about prayer, but have excused it ... because I'm too busy, too tired, or because its not my "gift".
Well prayer isn't a spiritual gift given to a few people ... its God's gift given as a privilege, a joy, an opportunity to ALL His children. Its meant to be a very personal way of drawing close, of connecting with God ... seasoned and inspried by His words to us in His Word. It's meant to be a "place"to hear God, to listen to God take His Word and apply His truth, His love, His power ... to things and areas in our life that we, on our own would never think of.
So much of what the Lord intends for our life, I think, doesn't happen because we are not in deliberate prayer before the Lord ... or appraching the Lord with a repentant, open heart, seeking Him to more fully guide every area of our lives.
This coming Sunday, March 20, is Palm Sunday. When you start praying you begin to see the many prayers in Scripture ... The Palm Sunday Gospel -- Matthew 21:1-17 -- offers a picture of 4 prayers that can change the individual praying ... and very importantly also, the church that is praying. What awesome things can take place ...
It is my prayer that through this Sunday's meditation we as a church, made up of praying individuals to be sure, become more commited to praying as a family, as a body of Christ ... especially during the week of our Lord's passion -- Holy Week -- ... Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and EASTER. As we contemplate the four prayers ... Save us ... Cleanse us ... Fill us ... Use us ... may we pray sincerely and from the heart in true faith, believing. May it be that through those simple prayers God is glorified.
May we be prepared as we recognize that God truly answers prayer.
PLEASE PRAY!
