There might come the time when you really need God's help. You are desperate. You have tried everything humanly possible. So you then turn to prayer.
The psalmist was in such a situation. We have the psalmist praying: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy." Ps. 130:1,2
There are times when we feel like prayer is our last resource. We have nowhere else to turn.
I wonder how many of us feel passionate about praying regardless of the depth of our need? Praying is what brings us closer to God. It helps to build our trust in our Creator.
After the psalmist had made a passionate plea, this individual was on the lookout for the answer to come. The psalmist was waiting more intently than the watchmen wait for the morning. There was a confidence that the prayer was heard and would be answered.
It's this kind of praying, this kind of hope, that can sustain us through whatever tough times might come to us in life.
Have you ever prayed this intently as the psalmist did?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Praying to Live Longer
Many prayers are geared around illness. We want better health in order to enjoy more of life. Some illnesses can be life-threatening.
Such was the case with King Hezekiah. He was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah came to him and told him to get his house in order. Time was short.
At this juncture, we have the words recorded for us in Scripture: "Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 'Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly." 2 Kings 20:2
The prophet Isaiah then receives a word from God to tell Hezekiah that he will live; in fact, he will live 15 more years!
We would take notice of Hezekiah's prayer. He realized that he had been faithful. Perhaps, he felt that if his life would be extended, he would continue to be in service to God.
Can you think of what your motive might be to live longer upon having a life-threatening illness? Would it be just to live longer in order to enjoy life? What if you were to imagine that your prayer for living longer was geared toward having more of an opportunity to be in service to God!
Such was the case with King Hezekiah. He was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah came to him and told him to get his house in order. Time was short.
At this juncture, we have the words recorded for us in Scripture: "Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 'Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly." 2 Kings 20:2
The prophet Isaiah then receives a word from God to tell Hezekiah that he will live; in fact, he will live 15 more years!
We would take notice of Hezekiah's prayer. He realized that he had been faithful. Perhaps, he felt that if his life would be extended, he would continue to be in service to God.
Can you think of what your motive might be to live longer upon having a life-threatening illness? Would it be just to live longer in order to enjoy life? What if you were to imagine that your prayer for living longer was geared toward having more of an opportunity to be in service to God!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Pray for Understanding
As I was reading a psalm for my morning devotions today, a verse just popped out at me. It deals with what we pray for, and it is not what we normally request from God.
We have the psalmist praying: "May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word. " Ps. 119:169. There are so many things that we request in prayer: health amid sickness, getting through a difficult time, or passing a class in school.
Have you ever thought about simply praying for understanding. You don't know what the outcome of your life is going to be with a given circumstance. Certainly, it is in God's hands; however, we can pray for understanding.
Understanding helps us to accept whatever the outcome might be. It also helps us to accept what might be God's will whether it fits what we desire or not. Understanding brings us closer to God.
Here are times when you might want to consider such a prayer:
1. You are facing a situation with a terminal illness.
2. You are faced with making a very difficult decision.
3. Something extremely good or bad has just happened in your life.
4. You have a hard time accepting what seems to be an unanswered prayer.
The people of faith have much to teach us in their own practice of prayer. I will now be more encouraged to pray for understanding in my own life.
Have you ever prayed like this before in your life? If so, did you find it easy to do so?
We have the psalmist praying: "May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word. " Ps. 119:169. There are so many things that we request in prayer: health amid sickness, getting through a difficult time, or passing a class in school.
Have you ever thought about simply praying for understanding. You don't know what the outcome of your life is going to be with a given circumstance. Certainly, it is in God's hands; however, we can pray for understanding.
Understanding helps us to accept whatever the outcome might be. It also helps us to accept what might be God's will whether it fits what we desire or not. Understanding brings us closer to God.
Here are times when you might want to consider such a prayer:
1. You are facing a situation with a terminal illness.
2. You are faced with making a very difficult decision.
3. Something extremely good or bad has just happened in your life.
4. You have a hard time accepting what seems to be an unanswered prayer.
The people of faith have much to teach us in their own practice of prayer. I will now be more encouraged to pray for understanding in my own life.
Have you ever prayed like this before in your life? If so, did you find it easy to do so?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Why Pray?
Prayer can be looked upon as a convenient tool. We use it when we need it. If everything is going okay in my life, I don't need prayer at all. It's when I'm in a jam that I must "try" prayer to see if it will fix what is wrong in my life.
This view of prayer misses completely the nature of what God had intended for this activity. It is not something we use whenever it is convenient. Prayer is foremost for developing our relationship with God.
Think about the relationships in your life? Would your friends, for instance, only want to hear from you when you had a complaint? They might feel that they are being "used" in some way. You don't consider them in the totality of their being.
We must remember that prayer helps us to maintain our relationship with God. God doesn't just want to hear our complaints, but also our thanks and praise for all that we have received. God wants to be part of our lives in the big as well as the small matters of life. Every little thing matters to the one who has made us.
God wants to know that we have trust and faith by how we live. We dare not take this relationship lightly. It is an intimate relationship that God wants just like a parent would have with a child.
What does prayer mean to you? Is it like the spare tire in a car - only needed in an emergency? Or do you consider prayer as a means of growing in your relationship with the God of heaven and Earth?
This view of prayer misses completely the nature of what God had intended for this activity. It is not something we use whenever it is convenient. Prayer is foremost for developing our relationship with God.
Think about the relationships in your life? Would your friends, for instance, only want to hear from you when you had a complaint? They might feel that they are being "used" in some way. You don't consider them in the totality of their being.
We must remember that prayer helps us to maintain our relationship with God. God doesn't just want to hear our complaints, but also our thanks and praise for all that we have received. God wants to be part of our lives in the big as well as the small matters of life. Every little thing matters to the one who has made us.
God wants to know that we have trust and faith by how we live. We dare not take this relationship lightly. It is an intimate relationship that God wants just like a parent would have with a child.
What does prayer mean to you? Is it like the spare tire in a car - only needed in an emergency? Or do you consider prayer as a means of growing in your relationship with the God of heaven and Earth?
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