The Posture of Prayer II

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

Today's Passage: Proverbs 3: 5-8
Memory Verse: Prov. 3:5

We started our discussion on the necessity of prayer in our lives, and we began the process of giving prayer a definition.  The next letter, "R", stands for Recognition.  We must recognize or acknowledge the absolute lordship of our God when we approach Him in prayer.  There must be no doubt in our minds that He is not only able to hear us, but also that He is the only one with the answer.  Hebrews 11: 6 reminds us that the very attitude with which we approach Him must be one of reverence, knowing that He is well able to reward us for our faith in Him.

When we pray, it should never be as a last resort, but our first response to every situation.  I love what the teacher says in today's passage.  We are told to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways -- every decision must include Him.  As Pastor Nette said in her message on Sunday, it breaks every parent's heart to see his or her child in the middle of a mess.  The first thing that parent would want to know is: "why didn't you ask me for help?"  If we stand willing to go to any lengths for our children, surely the Heavenly Father is more than ready to provide the answer to any question and meet any need.  So we must be humble and ASK Him for everything.  He's our Father Who will never withold any good thing from us.  How much confidence God must have to be able to give us a guarantee of an anwser.  All He asks is that we not allow anxiety to steal our faith.

Here's what many people miss as a result of the lack of a prayer life.  The more you pray, the more you will change.  This is because, as we get to know Him more deeper, we become more aware of His character and His love for us.  Consequently, we learn to YIELD to His ways on a matter.  He already told us in His Word that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways.  When we ask Him to answer us, it is important for us to always leave ourselves open for Him to answer our prayer HIS way.  He is the ultimate parent Who sees the end of a thing before its very beginning.  Prayer is a time to mould and surrender ourselves to His perfect, not His permissible, will for our lives and the lives of the people we are praying for.

Today, before you even draw up your wish list for God to fulfill, make a decision in your heart that you will come craving His answers and their solutions.Our lives are not ours, and when we live to please him, it will show in the way we respond when He says , "no" or "wait".  Such a heart will always find in the Father a listening ear.

Prayer: Here I am again, Father.  You have been so good to me and my loved ones.  I acknowledge You as the answer to every question I may have ever had in my life.  You've always steered me in the right direction, even when I didn't want You to.  Please come now and abide in my thoughts as well as in the place where I make my decisions.  May I not spend another moment trying to do it on my own.  In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.