Philemon

Genuine, authentic and bold prayer

Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God. Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God’s people. – Philemon 4,7 GNT

Such a great prayer from Paul for Philemon. Filled with gratefulness but also with incredible encouragement – for Onesimus, Philemon’s owner, was coming. Paul wanted to pray using the right words but he also prayed with the intention of doing it the right way. Starting off with prayer is a wise and strategic way to start addressing a problem. It is model and pattern for me to follow.

Solomon’s prayer has the same effect on me.

Come to the Temple, Lord, with the Covenant Box,
    the symbol of your power,
    and stay here forever.
May your priests do always what is right;
    may your people shout for joy!

You made a promise to your servant David;
    do not reject your chosen king, Lord. – Psalm 132:8-10 GNT

He prays so that it is accepted by God. I pray in a manner that I may find favour with God and so I pray with boldness because of what Jesus has done in my life.

Many people seeking to pray the Psalms find themselves confused and put off by the “imprecatory” Psalms in which the psalmist prays down God’s wrath and punishment on his enemies, often in violent terms. One such prayer comes at the end of Psalm 137, where the psalmist hopes that someone will do to the Babylonians what they did when they sacked Jerusalem. He hopes warriors will seize their infants by the feet and kill them by dashing their heads upon the rocks (vv. 8–9). Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner wisely points out that Christians must not pray in the same way now, in light of the cross, but we still must be able to understand such prayers. He writes about Psalm 137: “Our response to such a scripture should, we suggest, be threefold. First, to distil the essence of it, as God himself did with the cries of Job and Jeremiah. Secondly, to receive the impact of it. This raw wound, thrust before us, forbids us to give smooth answers to the fact of cruelty. To cut this witness out of the Old Testament would be to impair its value as revelation, both of what is in man and of what the cross was required to achieve for our salvation. Thirdly, our response should be to recognize that our calling, since the cross, is to pray down reconciliation, not judgment. . . . So this psalm takes its place in Scripture as an impassioned protest, beyond all ignoring or toning down, not only against a particular act of cruelty but against all comfortable views of human wickedness, either with regard to the judgment it deserves or to the legacy it leaves; and not least, in relation to the cost, to God and man, of laying its enmity and bitterness to rest” (Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975], 497).

Those who know God pray for things to happen

prayers-of-hope-when-youre-going-through-the-storm

I love the spiritual expression where God continues to love those who know Him and He gives favour and does good things towards those who are in right standing with Him. It is here in this thought that I should know of my need to pray that I can stay in this part of my relationship with Him.

Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. – Psalm 36:10 GNT

Even though I have experienced His love and grace, I need a continuing flow and I need to ask Him for it.

In trouble, I make a decision. Do I let the accuser set the agenda or am I intentional about allowing the Holy Spirit to become involved in the process. It is a decision that requires deliberate, careful, thoughtful, and spiritual insight and action. Especially because I am prone to operate out of my humanity and most unspiritual nature. It is why the world is filled with broken relationships, unhealed hurts and prolonged divisions. Paul tries to tell Philemon that there is a different way, that we can approach God first through prayer, before we accuse and speed up the level of conflict.

Brother Philemon, every time I pray, I mention you and give thanks to my God.  For I hear of your love for all of God’s people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus.  My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ.  Your love, dear brother, has brought me great joy and much encouragement! You have cheered the hearts of all of God’s people. – Philemon 4-7 GNT

 What a great example of starting a prayer with thankfulness. Even though there is conflict, and let’s face it, most of his letters were sent to churches where there was conflict, he takes time to thank God for them and their church family. Paul approach to conflict was not to be the accuser but the one who prayed.

In fact, I believe that it is evidence of Paul’s spiritual practices – to pray for others. Paul knew that prayer mattered especially when it came to conflict.

His prayer also give a secret to how hearts are changed – “our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding.” Special things happen among the relationships of believers. Things that were thought to be impossible, are now possible. So Paul prays that God would set the right conditions so that something new and transformative would take place between the two in conflict. Paul recognizes, by prayer, that God is the only one who can make this reconciliation possible. So I have learned that when I pray for those I am in conflict with, I do not only thank God for them, I ask Him to make the conditions right – God working on mine and their soul, so that our faith can see the powerful effect of God in our lives.