8-17-2015

Good Morning All!!

        Psalm 66:19; “But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.”

    It is always a discussion that comes up; why do we need to pray?  We teach and believe that God is unchangeable (Job 23:13) and we teach and believe that God’s plan is always for our best (Jeremiah 29:11); so why pray?  This is actually a pretty good question.  The quick, and terse, answer is “Because God tells us to pray.”  Yet there is a greater reason for us to pray and it has nothing to do with trying to influence God or to change God’s direction; prayer is about our personal relationship with God.  Prayer is about molding you.

    Prayer is an integral part of our relationship with God.  It is a part of what we can call, the “holy conversation” between you and God.  This conversation consists of God speaking to us through his Holy Word, the Bible.  We listen to God.  Then we speak to God in prayer.  This becomes the give and take of a regular conversation.  Much like when we have a conversation with our spouse, friend or child.  The conversation is about sharing information but it can also be much more.  The conversation can share our feelings, our desires, our expectations, our fears; a conversation can open our soul.

    This is what God desires of us and for us when we pray.  This is why it is important that prayer is an integral part of our life.  Prayer should be the first option in all things that we do.  As one author put it, “prayer should be the steering wheel of our life not the spare tire.”  Prayer should be the first place to turn and not the “last resort” that many use it as.  Prayer always reminds us that it is God who determines life, who gives us life and who has redeemed this life.  Far too often, we seek to make life “my life” instead of the life that God gives to us and desires for us.  We struggle with life because we do not heed God’s Word and we do not hear God’s voice when we need direction.

   Prayer keeps us mindful of God’s grace in our life.  Prayer keeps us mindful of our total dependence upon God for our hope and salvation.  As we face the events of this life, the only source of peace is God.  Our only source of comfort is God’s mercy.  We don’t find it in our own skill or knowledge; we don’t find it in worldly wisdom or direction; we find it in God’s grace and in his grace alone.  The best way we stay connected to the comfort that this knowledge gives us is to stay connected through prayer.

   Prayer does not change God; prayer changes you.  Prayer gives you the hope and the comfort you need by keeping you mindful of God, his mercy, his forgiveness, his all-knowing power and his unbeatable love is always there for us.  We can always take comfort in this fact.  Prayer keeps us in that knowledge.

Gracious Father, teach me to pray.  Teach me to remain in your mercy.  Teach me to trust in your unending love.  Open my heart to your Spirit that I may know your peace.  Speak to me that I will hear you and know the hope of my salvation.  In the precious name of Jesus e pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor