The Prayers That Matter, Part II
2016-01-29
In a previous post, I wrote about two essentials of meaningful prayers: a confession of weakness and thanksgiving. These are a good foundation to prayer, I think. Let me talk about another related aspect of prayer. The prayers that matter are also prayers of necessity.
We often pray before meals in thanksgiving, as we should. We pray as we start our days, and when we face minor problems in life. For me, these become formulaic, impersonal, and, could be described as vain repetition (Matthew 6:7).
The authentic prayer is the prayer of necessity. We have to remember that we were rescued from the fires of hell, paid for by the blood of the Son of God. Our continual survival is contingent on God alone. We need Him. We have to be convinced that we need Him. We stand a heartbeat away from death and total extinction.
When we are put in impossible situations, we remember this. Those times when I have had gut-crushing fear is when the real prayers came out. A lawsuit, a baby in the womb with no heartbeat, the possibility of failing out of school, and sharing the gospel with other people were all things that have caused these prayers to well up from within me. However, God demonstrates His power when we are brought to the end of ourselves.
We live in a society where we typically do not worry about where our next meal is coming from. We don’t normally worry about if we will have a place to live. There are folks out there that deal with these things, and, if they are saved, they have the real faith.
We have “waxed fat” (Deuteronomy 32:15), and what has been the result? We have forsaken the God who made us. Slowly, we begin to understand the verse that says “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). Why? “The trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3).
Stay needful for the Lord. Remember that Jesus Christ is our life. When the hard times come, remember that this is an opportunity to seek God in the deepest of ways.
I will need your help in reminding me, too.