Last time we covered the first part of why we pray. Using Jesus as the ultimate example we saw that the first reason that we pray to God is because we need Him and we need to express that to Him. Let's focus on that word need for just a bit. Alot of us think that it is time to pray when we need something. In fact there are alot of us, each one of us from time to time I suppose, that think that the only time that we actually need to pray is in fact when we have a need that needs to be met. No doubt we do need to pray when we are in need but that cannot be the whole reason for prayer to such an awesome God can it? Do we not limit the Creator, the Maker, THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD when all we do is bring Him a laundry list of "help me", "bless me" and "keep me safe"? If this is the only reason that we pray then what do we do when we don't get what we want? If laying our lists of wants and needs before God becomes our sole reason for prayer then we start trying to figure out why we aren't getting what we ask for all of the time. What's the right code or the right way to ask or what is the right combination to unlock "our best life now"?
What if bringing our wants and needs before God is just a part of prayer? David Platt calls this "the laundry room in a whole house of prayer". What if there is so much more to this thing called prayer? What if the "I AM" has wrapped up a whole lot and packaged it into one little word called prayer? What if there is a depth of prayer that goes WAY beyond me just asking God for things? What if He has more planned for me if I would only stop and listen, if I would truely explore Him? I think Jesus talks about this when He told us about prayer. Let's have a look:
Matthew 6:5-8
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "
Look at verse 6 "Then your Father will reward you". What if Jesus is telling us to go into a room and shut the door and get ready to feast on the goodness that IS GOD? What if God designed prayer as an opportunity for us to enjoy Him, to bathe in His Mercy and His Grace in a way that nothing else in our Christian life can begin to compare with? What if there is a mystery that God intends to take place in prayer that we completely miss when all we do is drop our laundry list at His feet? If all we do is ask for things then we get consumed with the things we are asking for when in fact it isn't something that we so desperately long for but someone.
The most important thing in the world is your personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It is THE most important thing and everything else that we are, everything else that we do flows from it. What if there is more to be had behind that closed door than we could have imagined? I am talking about actually spending time with the maker of the universe. How could that NOT change your life RIGHT NOW? How could that NOT make a difference in my life no matter what is going on? How could that NOT be greater than anything else RIGHT NOW?
Jesus showed us this. Often we see phrases like "so Jesus turned the crowd away and went to pray", "Jesus went to wilderness to pray" and "when Jesus had finished praying". Look at Mark 1:35:
35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
Did you catch it? "Everyone is looking for you!" Can't you just here the disciples saying "Jesus, Jesus what are you doing? We've got things to do come on!" Everyone is busy but Jesus is spending intimate time with His Father in Heaven. He's taking in the nourishment that feeds Him.
Get your reward. Go into a room and ask for God. Seek Him and you'll find Him behind that closed door. Take the time to do it every day and it will change your life, how could it not?
Make your prayer life one that will explore the mysteries of an Intimate, Personal Time with the God of the universe.
The second reason that we pray:
We Pray To Explore The Mystery Of Intimacy With God.....
Next we'll talk about the power of being used by God. For now I will leave you with this quote from C.S. Lewis:
"The primary object of prayer is to know God better; we and our needs should come second....."
No comments:
Post a Comment