The center of prayer
Posted by chuck maxwell on May 9th, 2009 filed in Chuck's blogTomorrow I will speak on the nature of prayer. Psalm 119:145-152. Not a new topic for me or for our congregation to hear about. Especially since we have spent four months so far in the prayer/song of Psalm 119. I am always fearful and dependent on God to speak on a matter that I have yet to really grasp or experience consistently. So I pray and am thankful that God can use the foolishness of preaching, maybe even from fools to say something for Him. The challenge I am pondering is how I tend to pray more with my self and my needs as the driving force of prayer. Pleading my case with God; as if He doesn’t really know what I need and why. Which is totally reverse from the psalmist and the Bible heroes. Completely off track from those saints of history who have modeled what it means to really pray. I’m not saying we shouldn’t plead with God for some things. God’s people and prophets, even Jesus, modeled humble supplications before God. But it seems that God and His Word should be the thing that drives what we pray about, and what we ask of Him. Less, give me, heal me, hear me. More, You are, here I am, break me, use me, I’m listening. Less, “Did You hear what I said, Lord?” More “I heard what You said, Lord. And I will obey.”
How has God’s revelation of Himself in His Word, and the right understanding of it, affected your prayer? I would really like to know.
May 9th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
I’ve been studying about Samuel lately and have noted that even though he had a heart that pined for a word from God, he didn’t at first recognize God’s voice we He spoke. From that I learned that God is patient and He will speak to us again if we don’t hear Him at first. He is faithful to us, and as long as we keep our ears open and heart alert, He will speak and reveal Himself.
Samuel also busied himself through out the day ministering and doing his thing around the temple, but at night he lay down and he was still until morning. God didn’t speak to him during the day filled with distractions, but only after Samuel quieted his soul. I have been learning about quieting my soul and removing distractions in order that I will hear God when He speaks.
It has also been impressed upon me that Samuel was lying in the temple, maybe just outside the Holy of Holies, lest he die entering inside? He intended to be as close as he could possibly get to the presence of the Lord and I want to be like that. Because of Christ, I already have access to the Holy of Holies and I should long to be in His Presence every minute of every day, pushing aside any and all distractions!
I do want to say “I heard what You said, Lord. And I will obey.”
May 10th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Sue, Guess you were up in the watches of the night as this section of Psalm 119 speaks of! Praise God He has spoken to us. If only we would take advantage of what He has said in His Word. May we all put ourselves in the place and mind to hear from God when He speaks.
May 10th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Actually, that was an early watch for me! LOL