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From
the August/September, 2001 edition of The Doulos monthly
newsletter
by
Steve Hansen
Prayer
- It is the Greater Work
Oswald Chambers wrote: "Prayer does not equip us for greater works --
prayer is the greater work." Yet we think of prayer as some
commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God's
work… but remember that it is prayer based on the agony of Christ in
redemption, not on my own agony. We must go to God as His child, because only a
child gets his prayers answered; a "wise" man does not (see Matthew
11:25).
Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are in your live
journey. Whatever your circumstances, your duty is to pray. There is nothing
thrilling about a laboring person's work, but it is the laboring person who
makes the ideas of the genius possible. And it is the laboring saint who makes
the ideas of his Master possible. When you labor at prayer, from God's
perspective there are always results."
Jesus didn't talk about unanswered prayer. He knew that prayer would always be
answered. Do you have that certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do you
think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer your prayer? Jesus
said:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew
7:7,8)
Yet we say, "But, but…" God answers prayer in the best way -- not
just sometimes, but every time. He may answer yes or no. However, the answer
also may be wait-something our culture finds rather unacceptable. Our human
tendency is to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something more common
sense like . But if it were only common sense, what He said would not even be
worthwhile. The things Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He
reveals to us.
The God of all creation has given us the power to communicate one-on-one with
him. If we want to grow in our Christian walk, we simply must spend time
talking with God. Just as in any two-way conversation, we need also leave time
to wait and listen for God's answer to our prayer. "Be still and know that
I am God" (Psalm
46:10)
As we place prayer in its proper position in our lives, we will begin to see
that it is the greater work that draws us into communion with God. It is only
then that we will begin to experience what Paul describes as, "the peace
of God, which transcends all understanding, that guards your heart and your
mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians
4:7)
In Christ,
Steve Hansen
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