Previously I posed “Fundamentals: Part One.” If you have not yet read that post I suggest that you do before reading this one. I would also like to briefly follow up that post with one further point about reading God’s word. To simply read the words on the pages of your Bible is not “digging” into the word of God and does not have any great effect on the soul of the reader. One can briefly skim over the words of scripture without encountering the divine. It is not some item to be marked off our religious check list of holy activities. Jesus spoke of those who have ears and hear but do not listen. There is a similar distinction when approaching scripture. One can read the words, memorize them even, but they do not take them in or to heart. In Psalm 1:2; 119:15, 97 we are presented with the idea of “meditating” on God’s word. This is reading with desire to know God (not about Him). The second part to this is that we must “be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving [ourselves]. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking for His own face in a mirror… But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does James 1:22-25 (HCSB).” Suffice it to say that in reading God’s word I mean to say that one should intently study it and actively seek the voice of God. This is accomplished through prayer.
Most are familiar with the term prayer. It is central to the western religious traditions and many others. Prayer ranges from the panic stricken cry to God in the midst of great strife or disaster to the deep cry of a broken spirit to the heights of praise and adoration of the divine. But people, even Christians have varied ideas of what prayer is and what its purpose is. This is what I hope to address here.
The old testament word that is most often translated as “pray” is פָּלַל or pālal, a derivative of this word תְּפִלָּה The word פָּלַל is related to the verb “to judge,” but indicates the notion of entreating with or appealing to someone, most likely a superior. In the new testament we have προσεύχομαι, or proseuchomai, which comes from two Greek words πρός, which is a stronger form of πρό and means “toward” or “with regards to” and εὔχομαι or euchomai, which is the word for a “wish”, “petition” and “request.” Classically it is the technical term for calling on, or to, a deity. It literally means to make a wish towards or petition towards. In both the Old and New Testament the term prayer suggest the idea making a request to someone who has authority.
So, first and foremost, prayer is an act of submission. If one makes an appeal to a judge, a king or superior, he or she is in effect stating that he or she does not have the authority or power to bring about whatever it is that is being asked about. This is very important to keep in mind when thinking about praying. Prayer is an act of worship and praise because it gives God honor and glory by ascribing to him power and authority in our lives and submitting to that power and authority. Whatever it is we do when we prayer performs this function if our prayers are the true prayer of a humble heart. If God is thanked, then He is thanked for something that He did in and of himself, something that only He can do. If He is praised, then that praise due to His nature in His own being. If He is asked to perform some act, He is asked because He alone is sovereign, has the knowledge, wisdom and power to act. What a wonderful gift this is to the children of God.
A second aspect of prayer's purpose in our life is that it is a time where we quiet our mind, heart and soul and where God speaks to us, imparts wisdom and discernment. The Holy spirit, which searches the deep things of God (I Corinthians 2:10) prompts and guides us. Prayer is not just the act of submitting our requests to God, thought that is part of it. It is a time when we get alone with God, as Jesus often did, and hear from him as he speaks to our hearts. It is likely that no audible voice will be heard from heaven. What will be heard is the patient loving voice of the creator that brings peace, comfort, love, and joy to the hearer as well as instruction and admonition. It is the place we go to to align our hearts and minds to the will of our father who is in heaven. So that we can better understand His word, this world and our place in His kingdom
Ultimately we find that prayer changes us. We go to God with our complaints, concerns and desires. And through the process we humble ourselves before our maker, listen to His voice and find that we have been changed though whatever situation or issue we are praying about may remain the same. We may pray through tough times and find those tough time remains, but what we also find is that God's grace is sufficient and he is as near as our next breath.
No comments:
Post a Comment