Photo by Mark Harpur on Unsplash
Photo by Mark Harpur on Unsplash
Regarding prayer, I was reminded that the term prayer request is very apropos. It is easy to enter GOD’s presence with an entitlement mentality. While it is true that we have standing in Christ to be able to be in GOD’s presence, there is no way we are entitled to be there! We get used to our privileges that have been graciously given us as GOD’s children. It is easy to get careless, even sloppy.
We forget who we are praying to. There is no way we are talking to anyone close to an equal. Prayer is more like going to the omnipotent, eternal, holy, Creator GOD in His majestic throne room. Yes, I now have standing in Jesus as a new creation in Christ to be able to stand in His presence. That is why I am not incinerated! But, I am only given the right to make my request to this GOD who also loves me. There is nothing about me that gives me special points for being His favorite and He ignores His own justice!
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up;
and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim.
Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And one called to another and said:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”Isaiah 6:1-5 ESV
I then offer Him my request realizing He will do with it as He will. It is in the context of a relationship made possible through Jesus. I am not here to tell Him what to do. I am making a request. But there is something powerful in my making of the request. I must humble myself. I realize compared to Him, I am tiny. I must realize, “You are huge, I am a speck… You know best. I want your will to be done.”
Remember, you are making a prayer request of the GOD of the Universe! He will graciously answer, but you are not entitled to a specific answer no matter how much you can back up your request Biblically.
Often I have Biblical backing for my request, but I need to come realizing it is still a request. He knows His plan for all of life including my tiny piece of it. He takes that request and does what is best with it. I know He loves me and cares for me and will be with me through everything that happens as a result of His answer to that request…and many others. I may see a present answer to my request. But there may often be future answers that I don’t see for years…or in my lifetime. That doesn’t mean that request has a simple one time answer.
So for you, the one who is broken hearted, grieving or overwhelmed? You have many requests of GOD…often in order to simply get through the day. Prayer is one of the tools you have. It offers you the opportunity to talk to the Lord about what is happening, to make your requests of Him, to think about what the Bible has to say about what is wise to be asking for. It is also a wonderful way to receive comfort as you open your heart to Him and share your pain…and find hope! And in the middle of all of it, to realize, the Spirit is interceding for you through all of it! What a comfort. There is both a tenderness and an awe as we put these two truths together isn’t there?
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV
