Shout for Joy
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In Matthew 7:7-11 we are encouraged to ask, search and find. We ask and God gives, we search and find, we knock and the door is opened. What a beautiful promise. No Maybes, just do it. Then Jesus goes on to explain that should a son ask for bread, his father will not give him a stone. Or should he ask for a fish, he won’t hand him a snake. So “bad as we are,” in this area we act responsibly. And what does that say about God? “How much more will your heavenly Father give what is good to those who ask!” (v. 11). On the one hand, prayer is simple, it is just asking God for what we need. It is designed for those who are unable to live in this world as God intended.
However, prayer is also a profound mystery. How can man who is mortal discuss issues with God who is supernatural? And the answer is, “But we do” whether or not we understand what is happening. There is no other option. Then there is the question as to why we are to tell God what we need when he already knows? Unlike the babblers who “think they will be heard because of their many words,” our Father “knows what we need before we ask him” (Matt. 6:6). Why ask? Because he tells us to. For example: Shall we tell him of a friend who recently had a financial setback? Yes, because he told us to. I believe prayer is as much for the one praying as it is for the one for whom the prayer is offered. Someone said, “Always be ready to step in and help ‘answer’ your own prayer.” My understanding of prayer is that you can’t offer a poor prayer to God. Anything that brings us to our knees in front of King Jesus is a prayer that’s as good as any prayer ever offered in Westminster Chapel or any other place. That famous preacher who impressed his congregation with an eloquent example of bringing almighty God down from heaven with his plea for divine intervention, prayed no more effectively than the man on the street who cried out in despair, ”Help me, God!” God looks beyond the words to the authenticity of the one praying. No one fools God. He knows when you really do want what you are asking for. So prayer is our opportunity not to get what we want but what we believe he wants. It is making provision for us to talk with him. Prayer plays a major role in the believers’ daily walk. To neglect it prevents God from doing all he would like to do as well contributing to a serous lack in our spiritual walk.
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AuthorRobert H Mounce Archives
January 2019
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