WATCHWORD:
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26
Meditation:
The Power of Prayer
In a recent devotional reading, Oswald Chambers spoke of the unrivaled power of prayer. The unrivaled power of prayer. Wow! Have you thought about the fact that your prayers have an unrivaled power? I think at some level we can understand that. We know that prayer has often calmed our hearts and given us a sense of peace. But, it’s more than that. We don’t pray to gain that sense of peace, we pray to honor God.
If you have ever been asked to pray before a meal, or a meeting, or some gathering, you may have struggled for find just the right words. Who are you trying to impress or to honor? The gathering, or our Lord?
In Paul’s letter to the Romans he recognizes that we do not know what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit which dwells within each one of us makes intercession for us with God. We will deal with the matter of intersession at a later time, and concentrate on the fact that we do not know what we should pray for.
Earlier this year I shared a conversation with God on prayer. Reading Chambers, that brief bit of prose came to my mind and I share it here, again:
Prayers — A dialog with Jesus
And Jesus says, just keep in touch. Don’t worry about the Prayers, they will come. The important thing is the communication, it’s the human, reaching out to Me.
Don’t worry about the Prayers, they will come. In My own time, they will come. Stay tuned, always stay tuned to Me, the Lord and your fellow man. Do not lose touch.
Don’t worry about the Prayers, they will come as inspiration springs from thoughts and calls and compliments and criticisms, from feelings, from isolation and loneliness, and even from a loss, for, My Child, I know all of this. So, don’t worry about the Prayers, they will come.
But, Lord, I do worry about the Prayers. I seek that time when Prayers just flow, and form sentences, into paragraphs into essays, and into books of my love for you.
I do worry about the Prayers. Prayers that I want to say, what I want them to say. To lift up others, to move them beyond loneliness, beyond loss, to that special place where happiness begins, and faith is restored. I want my Prayers to move…
I know, my son, but, don’t worry about the words you use, I read your heart. I know what is there, your wishes, your hopes, even your reverence for me.
But, my Lord, I do worry about the Prayers, for I want them to be just right. I want them to speak, not just to You, but to echo throughout your Kingdom, line upon line.
My Child, My Child, I know you worry about your Prayers for often they are for others, I know them before you speak them. Your prayers are founded upon emotions, and imaginations, and remembrances of good times and times of pain and loss. Focus not on the past, dear child, focus on blessings. Focus on Me.
But, Lord, I do worry about the Prayers, for somewhere deep, if they should come, a prayer followed by another and another, and soon all thought and feelings are formed. Soon my true prayer to you magically appears and, if blessed by You, my Lord, those Prayers may touch others.
My Son, you worry too much about lessor things. My Love for you, is enough to overcome all worry. What is important? Your love-thoughts, and the knowledge that My Peace is sufficient, and that your heart-felt plea is that My Will, Shall Be Done.
You say I should never worry about the words I use in my prayers? Really? Really, my Lord and Savior? My love-thoughts are sufficient in themselves? Oh!
As Your Peace settles around me, Lord, I know in my heart that my love-prayers will find a partner, a neighbor, long-lost friends, blessings of a beach at sunset, a child’s face, a placid lake, a snow-covered mountain, all gifts and graces from You, all wrapped in my prayer-thoughts, all gifts to, and from, You.
Thank you, Lord. Prayers do come and they find themselves a partner, and my heart is stirred with gratitude. Amen.
Stan Escott
Bulletin Board:
It is not a carol of joy or glee, but a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core…I know why the caged bird sings. –Paul Dubar, in “Sympathy”
Closing Prayer:
O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
