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Standing in the Need of Prayer

Standing in the Need of Prayer

Last updated on: September 4, 2015 at 8:15 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Standing in the Need of Prayer 2015-09-04T20:15:01-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

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I need prayer, but then I always need prayer. All the living need prayer and for many of the dead we ask God that their souls: rest in peace. Every day when I come to God, the gospel song is true: “It’s me, it’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”

We cannot twist the divine will by our prayers. There is no trick, no posture, no “technique” that means we will be heard. We are heard if we pray in sincerity to the God who is and not the God of our imaginations. Jesus taught us to pray and that pattern always holds good.

“Our Father . . . ”

God is the creator. He is the God of the philosophers, but He is also our daddy. He loves us. He hears us. When Father says “no,” He has our best interest at heart. I had a good Dad, but even my Dad did not know everything (sorry Dad!). Our Heavenly Father knows all, sees the future, and is listening to our heart. He gives us what we want and need not give what we think we want and need. Why bother then with our faulty words and requests? We grow by asking. We grow by seeing what our Good Father does based on what we say. Father delights in our childlike requests because He knows how great the end will be.

“Who art in Heaven. . . ”

God is not confused. God is not in the turmoil of the world. He sits above the cosmos and sees what is true, good, and beautiful.

“Hallowed be Thy Name . . .”

God’s Name is holy and it is in God’s Name that we pray. Father is all powerful and we are given permission to speak in His name. I have given my children access to my credit cards so they can go to school and get what they need. They buy in my name . . . and that is very limited. We ask in His name and the problem with our request will never be that we ask too much.

The corrupt TV evangelists and prosperity “gospel” crooks that have done so much to harm the church are not bankrupting God. Father could give them much more than what they wish . . . and He wishes they wanted more. He wants to give them suffering to produce holiness and they demand a jet. He wants to give them a small place to serve poor people and they demand a big place. He wants to give them the glories of Heaven and they want the trumperies of this world. They damn themselves with small demands and will go where those who cannot desire the great glories of Heaven must fear going.

“They Kingdom come, Thy will be done . . ”

And there, as they say is the catch. God will give us whatever we ask in His name that is for our good. He will not allow us to live in the kingdom of self when we should be subjects of the Kingdom of Heavenly Glory. His will is what we want in our right minds and He will never give us what we want in our madness.

“On Earth as it is in Heaven . . .”

A prophet of the 1930’s, John Steinbeck, condemned false pastors who placated people with promises of eternal bliss so that they would be silent about injustice. We must stand for God’s justice now even though we will not see it in fullness. The man who refuses to call sin good, the woman who sides with the oppressed, and the country that receives the alien and the refugee is standing with God, even if they never see the triumph of righteousness.

“Give us this day our daily bread. . . ”

God does not tell us to demand billions, but to ask for what we need. The happy man is content with his calling, but the bad man demands more than God is giving.

“Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. . . ”

This law of reciprocity is very hard. I am so often tempted to react to evil done to me or those I love. Yet I have seen great and good men destroyed by petty grievances that they cannot forgive. They miss God’s best because they stew about wrongs done to them. I want to be forgiven, so I must forgive. God help me. And when He does help, I must let go of my desire for revenge. God knows. God will act. “Have mercy on my enemies,” is hard to pray, but is my heart cry tonight. I have much for which I must be forgiven and so I can forgive much!

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

We are bad enough, but we also face demons. Devils whisper in our ear like Grima Wormtongue telling us that we are failures.

We can pray badly, but we cannot pray too much. We are commanded to pray without ceasing by one of God’s holy ones! This much is sure, we can always pray, sincerely pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

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