“God bestows many things on us out of his liberality, even without our asking for them. But that he wishes to bestow certain things on us at our asking is for the sake of our good, that we may acquire confidence in having recourse to God, and that we may recognize in him the Author of our goods.” (Saint Thomas Aquinas 1225–1274)
The title may sound irreverent but I’m sure you know what I mean. It is a fact of human nature that when people feel threatened they turn to prayer. Yet few persist and their prayers remain unanswered.
Do you remember the story of the small boy who sat on the jetty, dipping his feet into the cool water. Beside him sat an old weather-beaten sailor. “What is the wind?” asked the boy. There was a long pause while the two sat watching the breeze ruffle the water. “I don’t know,” answered the sailor at last. “I can’t tell you what the wind is but I know how to hoist a sail.” Later, the boy asked, “How does prayer work?” Another long silence as they sat quietly looking out to sea. “Son,” replied the sailor, “I don’t know how prayer works, I only know that it does.”
I expect you have attended prayer meetings where people pray for a few minutes, perhaps a quarter of an hour, then there is an embarrassing silence. Yet those people have, or know of, many prayer points. The world is in a mess; the kid next door is on drugs; a couple you know are separating; a relative has cancer, friends are in financial trouble; missionaries need prayer support; we need to pray for the church; I’m worried about young Jimmy driving the car; the drought and starvation in Africa, the fighting in the Middle East, the threat of terrorism…the list goes on and on. Yet most people run out of prayer points in a few minutes. Why?
Because we are unprepared for prayer. We have forgotten even before we start those things, people and events that need our prayers. We would no more think of going to an important meeting, or entering a courtroom, without having a pretty good idea of what we are going to say. Yet with prayer we are going into the Throne Room of God the Father and standing in His presence – totally unprepared. Not only do our prayers hit the ceiling – many do not even reach our lips.
The Parable of the persistent widow (“In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” Luke 18:2-5) has only one message – persistence. And there is no more common failing in our prayer life than a failure to prepare and persist. Almost every transaction in life depends first and foremost upon trusting a promise and acting on it. Can I be sure that Jesus is with me? Am I certain that God will hear me? Yes, because of promises made to us in the Scriptures. But a promise can only be proven by trusting that promise and then by an act that will prove your trust. Like the little girl who attended a church service that was to pray for drought-breaking rain. She was the only one who took an umbrella.
I really wonder sometimes if we understand true faith.
“As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to their classical pursuits, so must we addict ourselves to prayer” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834–1892)
Have a good week. “Prayer is the key to Heaven, but faith unlocks the door.”
Pastor Ron
Optional Bible reading: Luke 18:1-5.
This is one of a series of weekly messages of encouragement, now in its twenty-sixth year, originating from Gympie, Fraser Coast, Queensland, Australia. A companion Bible study page is available each week. To subscribe via email click here with the words ‘Subscribe Word (or) Subscribe Word & Study’. Our ministry is free and emailing lists are confidential. Tell a friend or why not put a note in your church newsletter or pew sheet about this ministry – we welcome new subscriptions.Pastor Ron Clarke OAMWord for the WeekMbl.: +61 488 424 321