January 30, 2010

• Lord, teach us to pray once again: may we pray with expectation

  Continuing from yesterday and reflecting once again on Elijah and his ministry of prayer.

  You taught us through your servant Elijah, a man like us, who prayed fervently, a man who had faith to keep believing in spite of appearances to the contrary:

  James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

  
  

  I Kings 18:41 And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.
  42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.
  43 And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again, seven times.
  44 And at the seventh time he said, Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.
  45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
  46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
  

   Daniel 10:12 Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

  Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
  and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
  For the LORD is a God of justice;
  blessed are all those who wait for him.

  Lord God,
  Once we have gone to your throne of grace
  May we patiently persevere in prayer there
  May we continue to go to Your throne of grace
  And may we keep going there again and again
  Trusting that You have heard us
  Trusting that You will answer in due time, in Your time, not our time
  Trusting that You will answer in Your way, Your ways are higher than our ways
  Trusting that You have heard and are waiting to answer us so you might be highly exalted.

  Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
  Yet we are so slow to learn...
  Father, have mercy on us.
  Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
  Though we are slow to learn, we come to You and ask us to teach us again.

  Lord God,
  Once we have gone to your throne of grace
  May we patiently persevere in prayer there
  May we continue to go to Your throne of grace
  And may we keep going there again and again
  Trusting that You have heard us
  Trusting that You will answer in due time, in Your time, not our time
  Trusting that You will answer in Your way, Your ways are higher than our ways
  Trusting that You have heard and are waiting to answer us so you might be highly exalted.

  Mighty God,
  Look with mercy on us.
  We are so weak and wavering.
  We don't get an answer the first time and sometimes we don't even pray a second time or a third time.
  Not to mention seven times...or as many times as You lead us to pray...
  You gave Elijah the faith to believe even though the answer was not seen.
  He had trust in You, in the God Who is not seen when there was nothing to see.
  That is the only way we can persevere in prayer and in well doing.
  Give us faith to trust You in spite of what we see. That is real faith.
  We can trust that as we sow prayers before Your throne, we will reap in due time.

  Lord God,
  Once we have gone to your throne of grace
  May we patiently persevere in prayer there
  May we continue to go to Your throne of grace
  And may we keep going there again and again
  Trusting that You have heard us
  Trusting that You will answer in due time, in Your time, not our time
  Trusting that You will answer in Your way, Your ways are higher than our ways
  Trusting that You have heard and are waiting to answer us so you might be highly exalted.

  Faithful God, our faith cannot ever be rooted in what see but in Who You are.
  You are ever faithful and true. You are not a liar. You cannot lie.
  All Your promises are Yes and Amen in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  May our faith rest in You and You alone, rather than in what we see.

  Lord God,
  Once we have gone to your throne of grace
  May we patiently persevere in prayer there
  May we continue to go to Your throne of grace
  And may we keep going there again and again
  Trusting that You have heard us
  Trusting that You will answer in due time, in Your time, not our time
  Trusting that You will answer in Your way, Your ways are higher than our ways
  Trusting that You have heard and are waiting to answer us so you might be highly exalted.

  You are the God who hears the cries of Your elect.
  How can You not hear us?
  We are Your purchased possession, redeemed not with corruptible things but the precious blood of Jesus.
  if we don't get an answer, may You strengthen us to continue to come to You, to pray again and again.
  You have called us to persevere in prayer.
  There are so many souls there who are helpless and scattered.
  They do not know You as their Good Shepherd.
  We agonize for them as they are in need of living bread that is freely given from Your gracious hand,
  We watch as they buy bread over and over, bread that does not satisfy them and never will.
  May we continue to lift these hungry souls up to You in faith.
  May we persevere and pray in faith, with boldness and confidence.
  We can know You have heard us for Jesus' sake.
  We can know You are already acting even though our faith may not yet be made sight.
  We can know You are already acting even though our faith may not become sight until we are with You when You come again.

  Lord God,
  Once we have gone to your throne of grace
  May we patiently persevere in prayer there
  May we continue to go to Your throne of grace
  And may we keep going there again and again
  Trusting that You have heard us
  Trusting that You will answer in due time, in Your time, not our time
  Trusting that You will answer in Your way, Your ways are higher than our ways
  Trusting that You have heard and are waiting to answer us so you might be highly exalted.

  Brothers and sisters, please add your prayers for perseverance and increased faith as His Spirit leads you.
  
  

  (May He show us our hearts about those situations we think are impossible,
  where we have not yet seen "the rain."
  May He help us to patiently persevere in prayer and trust His timing and His ways are perfect.)
  
  

  • 3:09 PM
  • 2 Comments