Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from Psalm 66 verse 20, “Blessed is the Lord, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me,” (NRSVB). David opens this psalm stating, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth,” and closes the psalm with praising the Lord with thanksgiving, for God has turned his ear to him and heard his prayers. Prayers are communication with God, rising from the earth and perfected through the prayers that the Holy Spirit prays with and on behalf of us, bringing to God the world and her people, the needs of this earth. God does not need our prayers to inform him regarding the situations playing out in this world. Scripture teaches us that God knows what we need, before we ask of him. He is waiting to fulfil the prayer requests of his children, however, his children need to wait patiently to experience their prayers being answered, for God chooses the perfect time to answer prayer perfectly. The petitions that one brings to God do not go unheard or unanswered, but are heard and answered in such a manner that brings hopes and peace to the one who prays and glory to God. Through David’s interpretation of God’s action in connection with our prayers, we learn that God’s acts in love, and answers our prayers in his divine timing, so that even things that have been used against the children of God, to harm them, suddenly become vehicles of blessing.
When we look back at our various prayer request to God, we realize that some of our request would not have been good for us, if God had granted these. We ask as we see fit, we do not know what trajectory our request can cause. God knows and he prevents calamity and answers each person’s prayers in the manner that will be most benefitting and purposeful in their lives. Waiting for God to answer urgent prayers can make us anxious, we might even doubt if God is inclining his ear to us. God is forever mindful of the prayers being offered to him. We are taught that earnest prayers to God are like sweet smelling sacrifice, filling the temple, in the sight of God. Our prayer timeline does not correspond to God’s action timeline. He might fulfil a prayer that you have prayed long ago, and have almost forgotten, in his eternal now, and you will stand amazed at God’s faithfulness.
Jesus taught us that parents, with all their faults and foibles, know to give good gifts to their children, and will not present them with a harmful gift, but give of their best. How much more will our Heavenly Father not gift us with gifts to grow our faith and to show us new truths about his Kingdom. The life that we have, and the circumstances we are enduring, are not punishment from God, but gifts to be accepted and to be prayed over. When we have do endure sorrow, let us come to God and bring our pain to him, and when we endure joy, let us make our joyful noise!
Prayer has been the anchor and hiding place, the refuge and source of wisdom, peace and joy in the lives of the saints. These saints are those represented in the stories of the Bible, in the stories of the early church and the history of Christianity through the ages, but it is also the Refuge for the saints of today. As Martin Luther taught us, we are simultaneously saints and sinners, saved by grace, but still prone to sins, therefore we come to God and repent of our wrongs. We bring those who wronged us and those whom we have wronged in prayer and receive his absolution. This is his forgiveness that tells us, “As far as the east is from the west, have I removed your transgressions,” Psalm 103 verse 12. This is our God, he waits for us to come and talk to him and tell him our joys and sorrows. He rejoices in fulfilling the needs of his children through his riches in Christ.
The Apostle Paul teaches in the Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 4 verse 2, “Devote yourself to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving,” (NRSVB). Being alert means to recognize the answers to our prayers and to continue to bring new request to God in prayer. The prayers of the faithful have great power. These prayers are not prayers with a list of earthly needs, but rather a list of prayer request regarding God’s will on earth. God’s will on earth is to bring peace and good will among humanity. When our prayers centre on the will of God, we can rest assured that God will answer these prayers. We cannot pray prayers that are outside of the will of God if we contemplate what we request from God, and use the guideline of his will, which is to bring peace on earth, and good will to men, as our yardstick. Am I asking God today for things that will ultimately bring peace for me, my loved-ones, the community, the church, the World? Am I asking God today for things that will bring people to recognize his Son as Saviour of the World?
Our Father, in Heaven, we come to you and ask that our prayers be pleasing to you. Help us to wait on you in prayer, with song and thanksgiving. This we pray in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever, Amen.