|
|
Discussions on Prayer
|
the one is impossible without the other
|
|
Utmost entry for March 30th.
HOLINESS V. HARDNESS Towards GOD
"And He . . . wondered that there was no intercessor." Isaiah 59:16
The reason many of us leave off praying and become hard towards God is
because we have only a sentimental interest in prayer. It sounds right
to say that we pray; we read books on prayer which tell us that prayer
is beneficial, that our minds are quieted and our souls uplifted when
we pray; but Isaiah implies that God is amazed at such thoughts of prayer.
Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without
the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the
mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. Too often instead of
worshiping God, we construct statements as to how prayer works. Are
we worshiping or are we in dispute with God - "I don't see how You are
going to do it." This is a sure sign that we are not worshiping. When we
lose sight of God we become hard and dogmatic. We hurl our own petitions
at God's throne and dictate to Him as to what we wish Him to do. We do
not worship God, nor do we seek to form the mind of Christ. If we are
hard towards God, we will become hard towards other people.
Are we so worshiping God that we rouse ourselves up to lay hold on Him
so that we may be brought into contact with His mind about the ones for
whom we pray? Are we living in a holy relationship to God, or are we
hard and dogmatic?
"But there is no one interceding properly" - then be that one yourself, be
the one who worships God and who lives in holy relationship to Him. Get
into the real work of intercession, and remember it is a work, a work
that taxes every power; but a work which has no snare. Preaching the
gospel has a snare; intercessory prayer has none.
|
|
Ray 03/30/2010 17:03 |
|
 |
Katherine
|
06/28/2011 17:16 |
Thanks for posting this, Ray. I would encourage every pray-er to read this and mull it over.
"Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray."
I find it hard to make space for prayer in an ordinary day so it really helps to come to the forums and pray with and for other people. I am very blessed when I find my prayer moving from a "shopping list" to awe-filled praise and worship. It is wonderful to get another glimpse, to be reminded, of what God is capable of, and how Big He is!
The resources section of the DAB website lead me to a wonderful site on Matthew Henry's scriptural prayer. Well worth developing a spirit of discipline over/for!
I have a very long way to go to get to real maturity in my prayer life, so thanks for this pointer, Ray.
Blessings to you,
Katherine
|
|
