Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Prayer, A Chore or Love Story?


“But, you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to Your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:6).

Hey Gang:  Why pray?  I mean I can give you a list for the times when I prayed diligently but did not receive what I was praying for.  Do we not tend to forget to make a second list, of all the times that God bailed us out or did indeed answer our prayers with a gold ribbon around them. 

I confess to you that praying has always been hard for me.  My dear sainted grandma often said, “Some are called for prayer and some are called for action.”  As I have matured, meaning gotten as old as dirt, I am not sure she was right.  I have learned that prayer has many meanings including when you are up to your arm pits in alligators, prayer gives us the power and energy to stand firm on the Rock who is Jesus Christ. 

Several years ago I did a forty-day search on a book by Dr. John De Vries, Founder of Mission India, called Why Pray.  On the very first day he gave an illustration that cut to the chase as to why one should not be making a list of what prayers were answered and which ones were not.  His immediate point was, most folks tend to enter into a one-way conversation with God, without waiting for God to answer.  To that I say, “Me too”.

John was part of a prayer group that met daily asking God to increase the numbers of their group.  In the initial stages of their meeting together God did indeed respond.  Their group grew in numbers, but then one day, it was like God turned the facet off. It seemed praying was like firing blanks that went nowhere.  Been there and know that feeling. 

One asked, ”Why pray, when I feel like you are firing bricks?  His response, “Because there must be some other reason for praying, than  “it pays.’” He went on and said, “Does it pay to talk to your spouse?  Why do you do that?”  Answer, “Because you love her.  So then why do you want to talk to God?  Because of the love relationship that Abba Father wants to have with each of His children.” 

Did you even ask yourself the question, ‘Why did God create man, knowing that man was going to become a royal or not so royal pain in His neck?  Well, that is a question we could write volumes on, so will leave it for another day. But this He Has made clear, we were created for fellowship!

As a lad growing up I used to dread when the pastor called on Sister Grace or Brother Charles to give the morning prayer.  It always seemed to me that they blessed everything from the earthworms to the cosmos and everything in between. 

As I have grown older, I have come to that point mentioned by my grandma, some are more able to be the prayer warriors for the Body- and that is the job of those who have less rigors in life, and the young, more energetic, are the drone bees in the Body. 

Does that mean drone bees are not to pray? Not in your sweet bippy!  But I would remind you that God hears our prayers even when we are trucking down the road or in our work place.  I have heard folks, who were in their final lap say, I don’t know why God leaves me here – simple answer – to pray for your kids, grands and great grands!

Let me make one last point before closing this.  As I mentioned above, praying was hard for me and praying in public boarded on paranoia.   But has changed.  A dear friend of our family passed away several days ago and my bride was asked to do her eulogy. 

The church family had prepared a meal for family and friends and I was asked to bless the food.  My friends, I do not have a clue where most of those present were, in their relation-ship with the Lord, but I know He was talking to some there through Jean and me.  What a joy it was to be His representatives at that moment.  We were used by our Father as seed planters. 

Look in the mirror.  You see that person who is staring back at you?  God wants to use you in some way today to be a “seed Planter for Him”. 

Blessings,


Gramps

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