Prayer

Prayer is a topic that generates a tremendous amount of guilt for most Christians. Admittedly, this is an admission. I love to pray. I am desperate for prayer. The act of prayer is satisfying and generally fulfilling. But, I want to do better.

I wonder how much of my praying is generated from faith? I have wondered, and have been convicted by, the fact that praying is an act of faith. I pray because I believe in the true God, as revealed in Scripture. I pray because I believe that that God is hearing me, loving me, and desiring to answer my requests at some level.

But, how often is my praying done while my mind is elsewhere? Sometimes, I admit. I will also admit that I stop and work hard, in faith, to get my mind back to God at those times.

But, from Luke 18:1-8 it is evident that prayer, while an act in itself that is commendable, not accompanied by desperate faith, is condemnable. The question Jesus asks at the end of this section is, “Will (I) find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). What Jesus Christ is asking is, will He, when He returns, which is the context of much of chapter 17, find a group of people faithfully praying because they believe in Him and have no love of possessions in this world (also a major portion of chapter 17)?

Well, that IS a real question, isn’t it? Doesn’t this revolutionize our thinking about prayer? I mean, how often are our prayers dealing with possessions? We ask for health, we ask for wealth, we ask for open doors into promotions, relationships, and favor from man. None of these things, essentially, join us in heaven. What if we prayed about the things in heaven? It seems to me that Jesus said something about this.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Do you see a difference? Prayer about God’s holy name, His kingdom, will to be done (on earth even!), our daily bread (which, being asked of God, is an act of looking to heaven for help with our food needs), forgiveness, and temptation. Nothing about a new car, job promotion, nor even a spouse. Whether or not those things are part of God’s eternal will is absolutely up to God, not us.

Pray, folks. Pray desperately. But, stop praying for your own will. Pray for and about those things that are a concern to God and He will establish your faith.