8 Minutes
Think on this before we begin to consider the truth of prayer – God is all-powerful, but God is also Reason. Reason is part of the very nature of who God is. And God has willed to abdicate His power to a certain extent in some situations. Hold this concept commonsensically; when God willed to create the universe, He was free to create it to operate degreeably “independently” of Himself. God is eternally the Primary Cause, yet He has created a universe that has both “laws of nature” and is also filled with free beings. God has the power, at will, to suspend “natural law”. It is in this establishing whereby the determinate counsel, the providence of God, the character of God, the mind of God, and the will of man conclude. This is the wonder of the love, of the power, of the wisdom, of the Oneness of the Godhead...the willingness to subordinate His preferences as was“determined” to so align our choices with His purposes.
God is not the “cause” of every occasion except for the fact that He created a world based on physical laws. God created chemistry, but He does not “control” a campfire or “cause” a wildfire; the fire burns because of the “secondary cause” of reason or science, the law of nature. And God has also created a universe with free beings. These beings are truly free. They can choose God or another power to dominate their being. Therefore, they are free to act as “secondary causes.” Human beings are part of this kind of causality. This is why we have thieves, liars, and kidnappers. But it is also why we can have doctors, nurses, judges, and teachers. Human beings are free to choose to act or not to act. And in choosing, we become causes ourselves. This is why spiritually minded people, knowing the character of God, reason to discern the intent of the mind of God.
When it comes to prayer and how prayer works, it might be helpful to consider this reality. Believers know that God exists, and that God cares and acts in this world. But we also know that there are an abundance of secondary causes at work. We go through our day counting on God’s care while simultaneously making choices that make a difference. We are accustomed to being secondary causes. In the bible, God has revealed that He wants prayer to operate in a similar way. There are many times when the bible teaches us that prayer makes a difference...in the character or the mind of God?! In fact, prayer is one of the ways in which we cooperate with God’s will. In the same way our choice to give to a person in need, is one way we can cooperate with God’s will to care for the poor, our decision to pray for a person is another. The truth of prayer reflects the truth of Christ as he says of the Father, "Thy will be done". Our prayers make a difference because they are fulfilling what is needed for God’s will to be done. When we pray, God extends to us the dignity of becoming a “cause.”
The truth of prayer reveals a great deal about the nature and identity of God. It reveals that God wants us to work with Him and He with us. This helps us become more fully mature spiritually in the likeness of Jesus. This is God’s love sharing His strength with us. This prepares us for the suffering to render us sinless. This builds our faith. God shares His power with us. When He calls us to pray, and that prayer actually makes a difference, God makes us into something even more than children, He allows us to be co-workers with Him. And when we pray... when we work with God, we are drawn into even more intimate relationship with Him. And that kind of prayer and relationship definitely changes something else... it changes us.
Prayer should be our greatest source of peace...out loud or in silence. It is the sure evidence of our acknowledging God as God. God’s intention is for us to stay connected with Him all day, every day. Prayers are powerful and that power is not dependent upon how long the prayer is. Prayer is not to be done with any vain glory nor aim to please man. As humbleness is shown for God, our thoughts are to soar upward. Impressive statements that lack sincerity may as well be voiceless. Right words and eloquent speaking do not impress a magnificent God. He hears the character care as coming to Him by faith. God wants us to come to Him as trusting that He knows our every situation. And prayer should be our first response in every situation. When we come to God by faith we will see the power and peace of God come into our life in ways that will absolutely amaze us.
John 15:16
Chosen. Jesus declares those who are servants of his truth, the fruit of his way, his life, as chosen. And in the light of this, his Father, Our God, hears and responds to us according to His will. In essence, Jesus is saying, I have given you a fruit-bearing mission in order that your prayers might be answered! May we wonder that some or all our prayers malfunction if we are not praying in the faith that Jesus chose and appointed us. Are the blessings we ask for subordinate to spiritual desires? Are our prayers God-centered, Christ-exalting, God-glorifying? Do we pray that God would hallow His name and that the Kingdom would come and that the will of God would be done on earth?
The seriousness of prayer should be to challenge us to be the kind of people who do not use God for our own ends but are utterly devoted to being used for His ends. The words of Jesus abiding in us makes us those kind of people. The more we are saturated by the words of Jesus, the more our prayers will be answered. Prayer is surrender. Prayer is rending ourself and allowing God’s presence to overwhelm every single bit of us. This is us
bringing ourself to God. That takes us to where God not only hears us, but He speaks with us. The truth about prayer is that we don’t always have to say actual words. If we just sit in the silence of peace and listen for the Holy Spirit to move within the heart, within the mind, to deepen our bond so that when we pray, we are made able to express our innermost thoughts as we come as we are, however we are, in our approaching God. The truth of prayer is that we can come to God at any time and with any problem, in complete honesty. God knows our hearts. He knows every intimate thing about us. There is no secret we can hide from Him. Risk not developing a relationship with God by being dishonest about who we are and how we feel...pray the truth. By this God’s promise to love us unconditionally will be strengthened.
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