The Purpose of Prayer: : 1 Thes 5: 10 Says to pray without ceasing, but so often the day can end and it is
only as I am laying my head down to sleep that It hits me that, I let an
entire day pass me by without speaking my Savior. What are my motives for praying? Am I truly being honest with myself and the Lord when I pray? When Do I find myself praying the most, as well as praying the least? These are questions I have been struggling with for the past couple weeks, as I've been made more aware of the intimacy prayer provides as well as the privilege it is and yet how easily it can be skipped over as an appetizer that we nibble on, but turn to other things as our substances and main meal ( whatever that main meal might be for each person). I have been more inclined to turn to relationships for my Main course, substanance giving Meal, turning prayer often-times into an "additional necessity" but not the absolute foundation for my spirits refreshment and daily renewal. I've been made more aware of this tendency through being here in Chile, and I am thankful for it. I am thankful for the times of feeling completely alone, because its led me to communicate more with the Lord in a more intimate and continual way, bringing an understanding of why prayer is suppose to be constant communication with our Lord throughout the day! "Without ceasing".
May 25 - Morning and Evening
" On looking back upon the character of our prayers, if we do it honestly, we shall be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance-as the Pharisee did; but the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over his prayers, and if he could retrace his steps he would desire to pray more earnestly. Remember, Christian how cold your prayers have been. When in your prayer room you should have wrestled as Jacob did but instead thereof, your petitions have been faint and few-far removed from that humble, believing, persevering faith, which cries, " I will not let you go unless You bless me." Yet, wonderful to say, God has heard these cold prayers of yours, and not only heard, but answered them. reflect also, how infrequent your prayers have been, unless you have been in trouble, and then you have gone often to the mercy seat: but when deliverance has come, where has your constant supplication been? Yet in spite of the fact that you have stopped praying as you once did, God has not ceased to bless. When you have neglected the mercy seat, God has not deserted it, but the bright light of the Shekinah has always been visible between the wings of the cherumbim. Oh! it is marvilous that the Lord should regard those intermittent spasms of insistent requests which come and go with our necessities. What a God is HE thus to hear the prayers of those who come to Him when they have pressing wants, but neglect Him when they have received a mercy: who approach Him when they are forced to come, but who almost forget to address Him when mercies are plentiful and sorrows are few. Let His gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may henceforth be found to "pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
May 25 - Morning and Evening
" On looking back upon the character of our prayers, if we do it honestly, we shall be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance-as the Pharisee did; but the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over his prayers, and if he could retrace his steps he would desire to pray more earnestly. Remember, Christian how cold your prayers have been. When in your prayer room you should have wrestled as Jacob did but instead thereof, your petitions have been faint and few-far removed from that humble, believing, persevering faith, which cries, " I will not let you go unless You bless me." Yet, wonderful to say, God has heard these cold prayers of yours, and not only heard, but answered them. reflect also, how infrequent your prayers have been, unless you have been in trouble, and then you have gone often to the mercy seat: but when deliverance has come, where has your constant supplication been? Yet in spite of the fact that you have stopped praying as you once did, God has not ceased to bless. When you have neglected the mercy seat, God has not deserted it, but the bright light of the Shekinah has always been visible between the wings of the cherumbim. Oh! it is marvilous that the Lord should regard those intermittent spasms of insistent requests which come and go with our necessities. What a God is HE thus to hear the prayers of those who come to Him when they have pressing wants, but neglect Him when they have received a mercy: who approach Him when they are forced to come, but who almost forget to address Him when mercies are plentiful and sorrows are few. Let His gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may henceforth be found to "pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
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