Orange Moon "Prayer - Privilege and Responsibility"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Prayer - Privilege and Responsibility"

"What a wonder, that finite beings such as ourselves can approach an infinite Lord possessed of both loving willingness and a power guided by infinite wisdom, seeking His blessing of others."    

        

      Prayer for others constitutes a solemn responsibility for all who trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

     "Pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17).

     "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you" (I Samuel 12:23).

   Before responsibility, however, intercessory prayer must be viewed as the most wondrous of gifted privileges, as God beckons us to His aptly termed "throne of grace" to seek for others His freely given blessing and bestowal of Divine provision (Hebrews 4:16).  Certainly, where opportunity presents itself to help others with our hands, we do so.  "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men" (Galatians 6:10).  Frequently, however, we can only help with our hearts, or rather, we seek the help of God's heart and hand.  What a wonder, that finite beings such as ourselves can approach an infinite Lord possessed of both loving willingness and a power guided by infinite wisdom.  Even cursory consideration of so marvelous a privilege must lead us to our knees, first in complete amazement for such a gift, and then in solemn determination to fulfill such a responsibility.  As the Psalmist prayed for Israel, so we do well to approach the throne of grace for our sphere of influence: "For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good" (Psalm 122:8-9).

   This day and this hour offers opportunity to "seek thy good," that is, to ask for our Heavenly Father's loving and powerful involvement in the lives of others.  He will answer as seek to pray for His glory and according to His will.  We may not see His answers as God works "exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think" (I John 5:14; Ephesians 3:20).  We can be confident, however, that our Father desires to answer our prayers far more than we desire to pray them.  In the light of such lovingkindness, how can we view intercession for others in terms of anything other than the most blessed of privileges, and the most serious of responsibilities?  Little wonder the disciples long ago voiced one of the wisest requests ever uttered by human hearts: "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1).  And little wonder the Word of God and the Spirit of God beckon us to the only throne we could possibly approach, and the only one we need…

How can it be, o Lord, 

that You call me to this place, 

to gaze upon Your face?

Oh it must be, it is!  Thy throne of grace!

I see the Blood-stained way

that nail-scarred Feet have traced,

I hear the Spirit call, O come unto this place.

Oh it must be, it is!  Thy throne of grace!

All other paths my broken feet would stay,

I could not come by any other way, 

no other access could I find to this blessed and holy place,

Oh it must be, it is!  Thy throne of grace! 

 

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men."

(I Timothy 2:1)

Weekly Memory Verse

    We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

 (Hebrews 4:15)

 

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