desperate prayer ...

I write for my church's devotional guide called The Journey. The devotionals in The Journey coincide with that respective Sunday morning's teachings. I've decided to post some of my previously published pieces with you. This is the first.

It seems I have been fighting a lifelong battle with viewing God as one who punishes rather than one who disciplines; as a god of wrath rather than the God of Love. My view of him is largely an Old Testament view rather than a New Testament view. Because of this I find that my prayers are often forced, almost performance driven, attempts to impress a stranger with my holiness. What I want, and really what he wants too, is for us to come to him as a dearly loved child would come to his or her Daddy. He wants the focus of our prayers to be on communion with him and for our prayer life to be a time that we set aside daily to come into a very intimate and private place, to enter into his chambers so to speak.

Sacrifice was a large part of prayer in the Old Testament because Jesus had not yet come to offer himself as the final perfect sacrifice. God’s holiness required that sin not be ignored and that someone or something had to pay the price to remove the offense. This was done through the sacrificial offerings of lambs, usually the best of the flock. Often times there was a high-priest that would serve as a mediator and relay our prayers to God because man was too sinful to approach the holy God themselves. But this side of the cross of Jesus Christ we no longer need atonement because it has been provided for us, through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, God’s perfect son.

What I have learned is that I often don’t see God as he is: a deeply personal, loving Dad that cares for me, watches over me, and is a friend to me. When I see him this way my prayers reflect this shift and I can approach him with the humility, worship, and awe that he deserves, instead of trying to form my prayers before I pray them to make sure I have the words just right. And, further, when I see him as he is I am able to see me as I am; I am able to see me the way that he sees me: a treasure, a dearly loved child of God.

"You may pray for an hour and still not pray. You may meet God for a moment and then be in touch with Him all day." --Fredrik Wisloff

Day 1
Read Luke 11:5-13, Luke 18:1-8
What point was Jesus trying to make in his stories on prayer in the Luke passages? What can we learn from the characters in these passages about approaching God and the posture of prayer?

Day 2
Read Romans 8:22-27
Verse 26 says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us “with groans that words cannot express.” What images does this conjure for you? And in what ways does this provide comfort for you when you pray?

Day 3
Read Psalm 13
God doesn’t always present himself to us when we call for him. When have you called out for him and found that he did not present himself to you? What feelings did you have about that? When was a time that you felt God asking you to be persistent and faithful in your prayer for something? What was the result of your perseverance in pressing into that situation prayerfully and in faith that God would deliver?

Day 4
Read Mark 14:32-34
In Jesus’ dark hour of loneliness and sorrow that comes while awaiting death’s arrival, he needed the presence of his friends and for them to pray with him. Who do you have in your own life that you would gather around you to pray with you when faced with a great sorrow or trial? Who, also, do you circle around yourself when others are faced with grief or despair?

Day 5
Read Matthew 7:7-12
What can we expect when we pray? Why does the Matthew text not mean that we will receive everything we ask for?

Further reading: Prayer by Richard Foster; chapter 5 of Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden