The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Bugsy's Prayer?"
Perhaps you've heard the story about Bugsy hesitating as his accomplices jumped out of the car to rush in and rob the First National Bank. "Mugsy, Thugsy, wait!" shouted Bugsy. "We forgot to pray for God's blessing on this caper!"
Maybe you didn't hear about this (likely not). Bank robbers rarely seek Divine aid when plying their nefarious trade. Even if they believe in God, they realize He would not involve Himself in anything so obviously contrary to His will. They are correct about this, and the extreme scenario imagined illustrates a vital truth. Namely, prayer, while involving our requests, actually serves to fulfill the will of God.
"This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (I John 5:14-15).
True prayer requires devotion to the glory, will, and eternal purpose of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Thy will be done" comprises the holy atmosphere and attitude of genuine communion with our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:10). As a good friend often suggests, "The Lord is not our concierge, waiting to serve us at our beck and call." Believers are rather His servant sons and daughters who seek His guidance in all things, including our prayers. This does not preclude our own desires, even as the Apostle Paul taught the Philippians: "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). We recognize, however, that not all our desires coincide with the will of God. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit… Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your own lusts" (James 4:3). We must therefore fill our hearts and minds with the Scriptures if we are to avail much in our praying, seeking to know the will of God in accordance with the Word of God.
The latter point cannot be overstated. We read and ponder the Bible for many reasons, none more important than discovering how and what to pray. Indeed, the effectually praying believer and the Biblically astute believer are one and the same. Motivation, guidance, and enabling to commune with God await us in the sacred pages that lead to prayer in accordance with truth and reality. This promises a life of communion with our Heavenly Father whereby new pathways of prayer and old pathways re-traveled consistently bless us, and even more, bless the heart of He who "delights" in "the prayer of the upright" (Proverbs 15:8).
The Bugsys, Mugsys, and Thugsys of the world don't do much praying. They know better. We must know better also, seeking to avoid asking for God's blessings without first considering in the light of Scripture who and what His character and purposes will allow Him to bless. Prayer requires the seriousness that leads us to consider our requests in the light of our Lord's revealed truth and will. Just as we wouldn't expect Him to bless bank robberies, we shouldn't expect Him to bless that which fails to accord with His Biblically revealed glory, will, and eternal purpose in the Lord Jesus.
"He said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."
(Luke 11:2)
"Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day."
(Psalm 25:5)
Weekly Memory Verse
But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared" (Psalm 130:4)
7634
No comments:
Post a Comment