Hello
Here’s today’s Holy Nougat
“But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” Acts of the Apostles 12:5 NLT
When those in our midst are not well – how do we respond? When those from our midst are accused and arrested, how do we respond? Prayer is not always our default mode, unfortunately – neither when others are in problems nor when we are the ones in need of a breakthrough. And I understand. I’ve been there. At the place when I wish to be CEO and advise God, or better yet; just do my own thing, updating God when necessary. I’ve also been there when I’ve asked the church to join me in prayer and the prayers were not answered in the affirmative. And in those times, going back again to call for prayer or even consent to pray is NOT easy!
For, ironically, it is easier to focus on the one ‘unanswered’ prayer, than the many which were answered. It’s human nature. Sometimes we even pray without conviction and so suffer GREAT shock when God hears and answers in the affirmative. [I haben’t figured out how God feels when we are so obvious in our unbelief, but then; it’s possible that our shock affords a good laugh and restores us back from unbelief]
So we pray. We pray doubting – ‘Lord I believe, help my unbelief!’ We pray believing – ‘Not my will but Thine’ hoping and trusting that our will aligns with God’s this time around. We pray with clarity – ‘ … Lord, if You will make me whole!’ We pray in disappointment ‘Lord, if You had been here, it would be different’ What we do not do is stop praying. [Help me to live that always Lord]. We cannot stop praying. Prayer keeps us in tune with God. Prayer strengthens our relationship with God. Prayer stirs the heart of God and sometimes moves mountains.
When it seems that hope is gone; when someone is laid upon our heart; when one of our number is implicated and imprisoned – let us pray!
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
