The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Above All That We Ask Or Think"
I recently had brief contacts with 2 service people who served as blessings to me. Upon leaving the second, I thought of what a gift the experiences had been, and then I realized I could do something for the ones who had been a blessing.
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all" (I Timothy 2:1).
As it often does, the enormity of such a privilege and responsibility thrilled my heart. To approach the living and true God with intercession and request for others seems almost too wondrous to be real. Be if friend, foe, or those who quickly pass in and out of our presence, the Spirit of God works in our hearts to lead us to the throne of grace with requests for His involvement in the hearts and lives of others. Little wonder the disciples asked the Lord Jesus Christ, "Teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). They witnessed the communion of the Father and the Son, and they heard the intercessory interest and concern for people directed Heavenward by the Lord Jesus. They also saw many answers to their Master's prayers. But not all.
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
The latter point directs attention to a vital truth about our praying. Certainly, over the course of a lifetime, praying believers will see many answers to their requests. However, most answers will not be seen. How could they? Like the Lord Jesus, we direct our petitions Heavenward to a God intimately involved in every aspect of His creation. "God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:3; 11). We offer our prayers based on limited understanding of needs. God answers them according to infinite knowledge and eternal purpose (Psalm 147:5; Ephesians 3:11). Thus, His responses transcend our requests by a vast measure.
We ask for our daily bread and receive it. What else is He doing, however, in the provision? What will the physical strength and health supplied by the bread enable us to do that further serves our Heavenly Father's purposes through us? We cannot begin to see all of His working, as the simplest request results in God's fulfillment of purposes that have eternal significance and consequence.
I thought of this while praying for the hearts and lives of the two people mentioned. I will likely never see them again. Hopefully, I will even more likely pray for them regularly. What will the God who leads and empowers our praying do in response to my requests? I do not know, a thought that thrills me perhaps more than if I could know His answers in the limited understanding of which I am capable. Above all that we ask or think. Wondrous! I'll close now. It seems like a good to time to pray for some folks who were a blessing to me, and who I desire to know God's blessedness in Christ.
"And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."
(I Timothy 1:14)
"Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness."
(Psalm 143:1)
Weekly Memory Verse
For we walk by faith, not by sight."
(II Corinthians 5:7)
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