The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Praying Christ"
"We require the praying Christ as both teacher and as the motivating and enabling power of communication with God. How could it be otherwise, considering the infinite magnitude of God's Person, and the finite limitations of our humanity?"
What most leads us to pray, or more importantly, to pray well? While Scripture offers many answers to this question, one of the most fascinating involves a statement by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Galatians:
"God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6).
The praying Christ dwells within believing hearts. He does so not merely in presence, but in prayerful communication - "crying Abba Father." I never ponder this wonder without wonder, not knowing what it means beyond any cursory understanding. However, I do believe Paul's assertion results in what every illumination regarding the Lord Jesus accomplishes. It leads us to trust Him, in this case, about the life of prayer God so graciously privileges and commands us to fulfill. "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint" declared the Savior (Luke 18:1). Our Savior then suffered and died on the cross of Calvary, arose from the dead, and returned to Heaven so that He might send the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Thereby, genuine prayer becomes possible and actual as we walk with God by faith. "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure… the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Philippians 2:13; Proverbs 15:8).
True prayer does not come naturally to a race "like sheep gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). It must rather come supernaturally as a gift of grace supplied through the presence of the Spirit of Christ. "Lord, teach us to pray" wisely requested the disciples. He answered in principle - "Our Father, which art in Heaven…" (Luke 11:1-2). Later, however, He would answer in presence - "the Spirit of His Son in your hearts, crying." Thus, we seek to know everything the Bible declares regarding prayer. We do so, however, in the realization that we require something - Someone - beyond ourselves if genuine communion with God is to take place. We require the praying Christ as teacher, and as the motivating and enabling power of communication with God. How could it be otherwise, considering the infinite magnitude of God's Person, and the finite limitations of our humanity?
We ever do well to pray about our praying. We affirm the gift of His presence, whereby communion with God makes prayer more than ritual or even the proper fulfillment of responsibility. Prayer far more involves reality, namely, the living and true God beckoning us to Himself for the realization that He made and redeemed us for relationship and fellowship with Himself. At present, the most godly among us barely place a toe in the vast ocean of fellowship with our Father. They do so, however, in recognition that of all the grace bestowed upon believers through the Lord Jesus, the grace of prayer bestowed within us through His indwelling presence perhaps most personally pleases our Father's heart, and fulfills our own hearts.
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me."
(Philippians 4:13)
"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people."
(Psalm 149:4)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."
(I Corinthians 13:1).
7215
No comments:
Post a Comment