Spiritual Disciplines, Prayer Part III Be Fervent in Prayer


16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16 New King James Version

All my kids are over thirty now. I guess that makes me an old man. Of course, the shiny forehead and silver beard should be telling me something. Despite their age, I can still tell when they are bothered by something. Years of close personal interaction enable me to read the nonverbal cues accurately, and the opposite is true. They can read me correctly too. Recently my daughter came into the room, and I just knew that she was troubled. As any father would, I asked her what the problem was. We shared a cup of coffee and talked. I mostly listened, offering sympathy. As she is a smart and capable young woman, she did not really need me to solve her problems; however, she felt better after unburdening. I felt better too. After all, fathers exist to help their children and even though I did not provide any great wisdom, she felt better for talking…and drinking coffee with her old dad. God is like that.

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

God wants to hear our concerns. He longs to have that cup of coffee with us as we pour out our hearts. I’ve heard some say that we should pray for something once and then drop the subject. To ask repeatedly is a sign of a lack of faith. I do not think I agree with this. As a father, I long to hear my children talk to me about their concerns, hopes, dreams, pains, and frustrations. Their concerns are my concerns. It does not bother me to sit down and share a conversation about what burdens them…or what causes them joy. In the Romans passage, Paul encourages us to be constant. In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus reminds us that God is better than any earthly judge. In that parable, the judge acts because of the woman’s persistence. Our God acts out of love and concern.

8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalm 56:8

In a bit of achingly lovely poetry, David describes how important our cares are to the Lord. None of our hurts slip past His notice. When I lie awake at night, tossing and turning over some problem, God knows, and He keeps track. Like a concerned parent, God sits at my bedside, yearning to talk with me about my problems. Every parent has had the experience of watching through the night with a sick child. Your heart goes out to them, and you share their pain and suffering. God is no different. When we hurt, He hurts. None of our suffering goes unnoticed. So, talk to God about your issues.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

We approach God with confidence, some versions say boldness. Unlike busy earthly fathers, our heavenly father always has time. We are not a bother to him. When I was a young father, I was in the Army and often failed to meet my children’s needs. Fortunately for me, they are forgiving and did not stop trying to communicate with me. I find those shared conversations over coffee precious indeed. God is even better at that than I am. So, when we’re struggling with something, we should take it to Him. Do not lie awake at night with a deep problem or hurt. Take it to Him, the one who deeply desires that kind of intimacy. After all, He already knows. He wants to hear from you.

Thought Questions:

1. How do you view God, what is the mental image you conjure up when you think of Him?

2. Is your image of God based on your earthly father?

3. How do you feel about talking to God about your problems?

4. Do you think God really cares about all of your concerns?

5. What keeps you from pouring out your heart to God?


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