Nougat 15

In keeping Christ as our priority, we will find that we not only praise God for the big things, but we also share everything with God. That is the basis of a healthy prayer life. As we reflect on Today’s Holy Nougat, let’s consider what we bring to God in prayer.

Acts 4:23-24 CEVDCI

[23] As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything the chief priests and the leaders had said to them.

[24] When the rest of the Lord’s followers heard this, they prayed together and said: Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.

Communal Prayer

Despite being warned (threatened), Peter and John had reason to celebrate. They had been released from jail. It wasn’t guaranteed, for we know that those particular religious leaders didn’t tolerate opposition. A warning, though a small victory, was still a good reason for prayer.

Self-Check

How often do we rank our prayer points, i.e., deciding for ourselves what is important to God?

Deeper Dive

The post-Pentecost community took their prayer life seriously. Having had Y’shua actively involved in their lives as a human being, they were already accustomed to communicating with God regularly. Each situation they faced since Y’shua’s death was new, and they chose to face this one with prayer.

It may be that they were looking beyond themselves, choosing only to celebrate Peter and John’s return. I suspect, however, that they also realised that this arrest had serious implications for their own ministry.

Siblings, we are also called to pray for each other. Sometimes, we will pray for people on the basis of their issues. There will be times, however, when we realise that the affliction others face in our community could easily be our own. And, to some extent, it is our own. We are called to care for each other; we also know that praying with and for each other strengthens our collective faith.

Our prayers might not always be public; in fact, those for whom we pray might never hear us. Our prayers might never get recorded.

But God does.

Good hears and records our prayer.

And since God is the One to Whom we pray, then that’s the audience that matters. So whether it is personal, on behalf of others, or simply an act of praise, let’s ensure that we continue to nurture our prayer lives.

Prayer Point

For whom and about what might we be in prayer today?

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May all we seek be found in Christ