I have not posted on this blog for almost four years. It would be senseless and futile to make any excuses for why I haven't posted, just that I haven't. As of today I am going to change that. I am setting an initial goal for myself to post at least once a week. If I post more often that is fine but I want to put my thoughts here a least once a week.
That being said I want to post today about prayer. No earth shattering ideas or concepts that no one has ever come upon, just simply my thoughts on the subject initially and then more later. In Matthew 6 Jesus says this about prayer.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
I find it interesting but not surprising that while teaching on two things that generally reveal where our loyalties lie, specifically religious practices and wealth, that Jesus tells us to seek our security and satisfaction in God. Some may say, "of course that is what he would teach," but I think it is important to remember that it is in fact God, as the incarnate man Jesus Christ telling us this. And what is also interesting is that he points us to prayer as means for finding that security and satisfaction.
He tells his disciples to avoid any sort of outward displays that bring attention or praise to themselves. He tells them to stay away from their own efforts to manipulate God and instead points them to having their prayers rely on the fatherly affection of God and reliance and trust in his power and ability. As I see it, the basic concept in what we call the Lord's prayer is this, Love, adore, and honor God, and he will supply what we need. Trust him because he knows everything that you need. Notice here it is what you need not simply what you want. In addition God wants us to seek his forgiveness and honor and glorify him by forgiving those who owe us a debt.
I recently suffered from severe back pain, I prayed that God would bring me some relief and through the efforts of a good doctor he did just that. The important question I had to ask myself though was, what if God had not given me that relief from my pain? Would it have meant that he did not love me anymore? I think anyone who has read even part of the bible would know the answer to that question is a resounding NO! It simply would have meant not now, or I have a purpose for this pain that will later lead to glorification in your life as my child.
For me that last part is important. As you read your bible stay aware of something that I think is important for us to remember as we think about our prayers and how we pray and what we expect from God.
First and foremost, Jesus Christ our savior who purchased for us the greatest and most important blessing, that being our salvation, without which nothing else, and this is important, without the salvation of Christ nothing else is of any real worth. Your home, your car, your health, your wealth, even your loved ones and family, worthless to save you apart from Christ. In other words, even the relief from my back pain that I am certain is an amazing and precious miracle of and gift from God, is of absolutely zero worth if I am not saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
This savior who purchased the salvation of all who believe in him, including the 21 Coptic Christians who were recently martyred for their faith in Christ, had to suffer before he and they were glorified. We see this throughout the story of redemptive history, the biblical story, suffering comes before glory, and we see it in our world today in the persecution of Christians like those murdered by ISIS for their faith because in their suffering they have been glorified, just as Christ was. So the next question I had to ask myself and I think we all should ask is, why should things be different for us than they were for our savior or for that matter these murdered believers who as they were killed called on the name of Jesus Christ? The true answer, it shouldn't be and it isn't any different.
In conclusion, I know that this is a hard question. I know that it stirs up in us many different feelings and thoughts concerning how we pray and what we pray for. The point I am trying to make is that I think we have to look at what Jesus is teaching us about prayer and then apply it to our prayers and trust God to do what is best for us. If I had not been granted relief from my pain, I would have had to say thank you for hearing my plea father and I trust you as I live through this pain. I have had to do that many times in my life and will probably have to do it many more. In closing I remember the words of this doxology and thank God for it as it relates to thoughts on God and prayer:
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW,
PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW,
PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEAVENLY HOSTS,
PRAISE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST.
AMEN
I think what I am trying to say is just start by praising God and let prayer flow from there.
In and for the glory of his name, Bob Best
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