The way of prayer

the way of prayer

 

When D. L. Moody, the great American evangelist, was in Edinburgh in the 1880’s, he was asked one morning to speak to a room filled with children. In order to get their attention, he began with a question. He asked them, “What is prayer?” Now he didn’t really expect an answer — he was going to answer this question himself — but to his astonishment, hands shot up all over the room. He called on one young boy to give the answer, and the boy stood up and said in a strong voice: “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.” Moody’s response was, “Thank God, my boy, that you were born in Scotland!”

Job prayed quite a bit especially in contrast to his three friends who do not have one recorded prayer in all of their conversations. Not such a good thing was that there was no real tangible expression of any of Job’s prayers being answered.

Then I read this —

 After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you did not speak the truth about me, the way my servant Job did. Now take seven bulls and seven rams to Job and offer them as a sacrifice for yourselves. Job will pray for you, and I will answer his prayer and not disgrace you the way you deserve. You did not speak the truth about me as he did.”

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did what the Lord had told them to do, and the Lord answered Job’s prayer.

Then, after Job had prayed for his three friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had had before. – Job 42:7-10 GNT

What an amazing example of interceding prayer.

“They had attempted to restore Job by philosophy. They had failed. He was now to restore them by prayer. The bands of his own captivity were broken, moreover, in the activity of prayer on behalf of others.” Morgan

It is remarkable that God would not simply accept the repentant prayers of these three friends for themselves. They had to get Job to pray for them. God would hear Job’s prayer not theirs.

I would think that the Lord’s prayer indicated the power of forgiveness illustrated here. Job needed forgiveness (did he not have animosity towards his friends?)  and he needed to forgive (pray for those who persecute you). His friends needed God’s forgiveness too. What is noted is that it does not just need a human element of patching things up, it’s more than human forgiveness. There is a vertical intervention of Job that transcends the horizontal reconciliation with his friends. Job’s prayer was essential in establishing a right relationship between God and his friends.

I am already looking differently at how I pray for others. Maybe when God puts someone on my heart I need to go further and deeper into how I move in prayer for them. Maybe I am the way for them to escape the path they have foolishly chosen.

The ending of this situation had one more insight for me – Satan had no more power over Job and the presence of God was with him. Everything he had was given to Job from God and he enjoyed it through the way of prayer and reaped the benefit of spending time with God.

These things it is our duty to ask without hesitation for ourselves and for our friends, and for strangers — yea, even for enemies; although in the heart of the person praying, desire for one and for another may arise, differing in nature or in strength according to the more immediate or more remote relationship. But he who says in prayer such words as, O Lord, multiply my riches; or, Give me as much wealth as You have given to this or that man; or, Increase my honours, make me eminent for power and fame in this world, or something else of this sort, and who asks merely from a desire for these things, and not in order through them to benefit men agreeably to God’s will, I do not think that he will find any part of the Lord’s Prayer in connection with which he could fit in these requests. Wherefore let us be ashamed at least to ask these things, if we be not ashamed to desire them. If, however, we are ashamed of even desiring them, but feel ourselves overcome by the desire, how much better would it be to ask to be freed from this plague of desire by Him to whom we say, Deliver us from evil! – Augustine

 

 

Praying with patience and humility

patience and humility

I am taking note that there is patience involved in following and trusting God. There is this content that I am learning because I understand that God does do things on a different time scale than what I am hoping or expecting for. He does things little by little sometimes.

I will not drive them out within a year’s time; if I did, the land would become deserted, and the wild animals would be too many for you. Instead, I will drive them out little by little, until there are enough of you to take possession of the land. – Exodus 23:29-30 GNT

As I am trusting Him, and I should note, patiently trusting Him, I am also not wanting to lose my sense of urgency. Life is short and I want to make mine count. The learning to be content comes as I obey God. Patience is critical as I come to a place where I know God is at work even though I may not see it.

I picture obedience the same way Mary primed us on prayer.

Jesus’ mother then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” – John 2:5 GNT

She knew to whom to go, she knew what to say (briefly, simply and focused on describing the need). What makes me smile is that she knew what to do next and that was to be prepared for the answer and get ready to do what He said needed to be done.

In the description of Leviathan found in chapter forty-one of Job, I captured one of the first sentences describing its character.

Will he beg you to let him go?
    Will he plead with you for mercy? – Job 41:3 GNT

He will not plead for mercy because he is too proud to do so. In order to have patience, I also believe I need humility. While Leviathan thinks he is great, my time before God, in the spirit of humility, places God in authority over me. God is my creator, ruler and He is sovereign, one to be reverenced and feared. He is my ultimate help. Without humility I will find myself pushing patience aside and striving to work out things on my own.

 

For these things, therefore, it becomes us to pray: if we have them, that we may keep them; if we have them not, that we may get them.

Is this all? Are these the benefits in which exclusively the happy life is found? Or does truth teach us that something else is to be preferred to them all? We know that both the competency of things necessary, and the well-being of ourselves and of our friends, so long as these concern this present world alone, are to be cast aside as dross in comparison with the obtaining of eternal life; for although the body may be in health, the mind cannot be regarded as sound which does not prefer eternal to temporal things; yea, the life which we live in time is wasted, if it be not spent in obtaining that by which we may be worthy of eternal life. Therefore all things which are the objects of useful and becoming desire are unquestionably to be viewed with reference to that one life which is lived with God, and is derived from Him. In so doing, we love ourselves if we love God; and we truly love our neighbours as ourselves, according to the second great commandment, if, so far as is in our power, we persuade them to a similar love of God. We love God, therefore, for what He is in Himself, and ourselves and our neighbours for His sake. Even when living thus, let us not think that we are securely established in that happy life, as if there was nothing more for which we should still pray. For how could we be said to live a happy life now, while that which alone is the object of a well-directed life is still wanting to us? – Augustine

 

Sense of prayer

sense of prayer

I never thought of the idea of a curse being a part of prayer. I had to take a second look.

“Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.” – Exodus 21:17 GNT

In this case, the idea is that a child who threatened their parents with a death threat would suffer the consequences.

“Since to curse was to will and pray the downfall of the other with all one’s heart, it represented the attitude from which sprang acts like striking or murder.” – Cole

Paul has a prayer example on how to bless.

And God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they receive from us. – 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 GNT

Paul recognizes that God supplies all of our needs. Whatever I have was given to me by God.

“Our translators render it in the form of a prayer; which yet being the prayer of the apostle, put up in faith, doth virtually contain a promise both of a temporal and a spiritual increase.” – Poole 

This is not only a prayer of blessing that they may give, but also that they may be able to give at all times. Those funds coming from God’s favour on the work of our hands. I think the idea here is not just material wealth but spiritual as well. For it takes a spiritual person to be able to continue to give once they have experienced wealth.

“No man ought to live to himself; the two great ends of every Christian’s life ought to be, the glory of God, and the good of others, especially such as belong to the household of faith.” – Poole

The direction of thanksgiving in all of this goes to God.

The first rule is completely counterintuitive. Augustine wrote that before anyone can turn to the question of what to pray and how to pray it, he or she must first be a particular kind of person. What kind is that? He writes: “You must account yourself ‘desolate’ in this world, however great the prosperity of your lot may be.” He argues that no matter how great your earthly circumstances, they cannot bring us the peace, happiness, and consolation found in Christ. The scales must fall from our eyes. If we don’t see that truth, all our prayers will go wrong. – Timothy Keller

 

Not taking lightly God’s creative power

God's creative power

Of the Ten Commandments the one that strikes me most when it comes to prayer is this one.
“Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the Lord your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.” – Exodus 20:7 GNT
Whether it comes in the form of an oath, common swearing or appealed to as a witness to the truth – I cannot use His name for evil purposes. I think that I need to pay special attention to not taking His name lightly or irreverently – neither His name nor His attributes.
Would it not be safe to say that every prayer that is not accompanied with deep reverence and a genuine spirit of humility is not acceptable either. I am afraid that there may be many examples where I have prayed inconsiderate, bold and presumptuous prayers – whether privately or publicly. Even those who are separated from God and have found their worship in earthly gods treat their gods names with reverence.
I love how Jesus addresses God —
Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34a GNT

In my last hour I am sure I would be crying out to God to help me if I could even utter any sounds at all. Jesus is unselfish and He is concerned for those who are crucifying Him. Jesus loved right to the end of His earthly reign.

It is the choice of words that grabs my attention most – “Father.” I hear trust, confidence and endearment. He has a gentle love for God Himself. He speaks in love to the only One who can deliver Him.

I believe it is because He knows that God is all-powerful – He can help me with anything.

Then out of the storm the Lord spoke to Job.

The Lord

Who are you to question my wisdom
    with your ignorant, empty words?
Now stand up straight
    and answer the questions I ask you.
Were you there when I made the world?
    If you know so much, tell me about it.
Who decided how large it would be?
    Who stretched the measuring line over it?
    Do you know all the answers?
What holds up the pillars that support the earth?
    Who laid the cornerstone of the world?
In the dawn of that day the stars sang together,
    and the heavenly beings[a] shouted for joy.

 Who closed the gates to hold back the sea[b]
    when it burst from the womb of the earth?
It was I who covered the sea with clouds
    and wrapped it in darkness.
I marked a boundary for the sea
    and kept it behind bolted gates.
I told it, “So far and no farther!
    Here your powerful waves must stop.” – Job 38:1-11 GNT

God’s creative power is beyond my comprehension.

“Conversation with God leads to an encounter with God. Prayer is not only the way we learn what Jesus has done for us but also is the way we ‘daily receive God’s benefits.’ Prayer turns theology into experience. Through it we sense his presence and receive his joy, his love, his peace and confidence, and thereby we are changed in attitude, behavior, and character.” – Timothy Keller

 

 

 

 

Pray or fall

praying-hands-3-1200.1200w.tn

As Jesus entered His last moments in ministry on earth, He became stronger, not weaker. The disciples on the other hand were about to fail miserably. What made the difference?

Jesus prayed, they fell asleep.

 When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

Then he went off from them about the distance of a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed. “Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]

Rising from his prayer, he went back to the disciples and found them asleep, worn out by their grief. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation.” – Luke 22:40-46 GNT

The options Jesus presented were simple enough – pray or fall into temptation. If I am to overcome the trials and temptations that hit me, I must learn from Jesus how to pray as He prayed.

“A Christian who understands the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit seeks God not primarily to gain reward or avoid punishment (since both are guaranteed in Christ anyway). Christians seek God for themselves.” ― Timothy Keller