My Prayer Point of View (Part 1)

I was pondering today the parable Jesus told about a bunch of wise and foolish virgins waiting for their bridegroom.

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. -Matthew 25:1-13

There is no such thing as secondhand salvation. We might go to church every Sunday, and read our Bible every morning, but until we really have our own fellowship with our Saviour we aren't living a fruitful Christian life. I'm not saying hearing a sermon every Sunday and reading our Bible isn't profitable, but with out a life a prayer our intentions often end with un-intended results!

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.” -Corrie ten Boom

Many times I have times I have made the primary focus of my growth Bible reading. I think many Believers, just like me, spend much of their energy on Bible reading and Bible studies and church attendance with the intent of spiritual growth. But when I made Bible study my principal focus, I became much more of a hearer than a doer. (James 1:22) The Word of God is the surest source of truth, but I began to realize that that cannot be my rock. Jesus, Himself, is my Rock! And the best root for spiritual growth is crying out to God as you seek Him. Even Christian acts of service and Bible study can be unknowingly fruitless, self-led, and for me, destructive without my calling out Jesus. (2 Tim 3:7)

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. -Is 55:6

The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. -Psalm 6:9

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men -1 Tim 2:1

God just permeates His word with invitations to lift up your voice to Him. Ps 55:1-2, Is 24:14, Eph 6:18, 1 Kings 8:28, Ps 71:16, Ps 28:6, Psalm 55:17, Ps 5:2, Ps 142:1, Ps 130:2, Rom 1:9, Lam 3:56, Ps 143:1, 2 Sam 22:7, Ps 119:13, Ps 28:2 just to pick a few. There are so many more!

As I mentioned, I would spend time reading God's word but then I continued living a life of defeat. I was getting the Word but not living the Word. The Bible has so many phrases about having "eyes to see" and "ears to hear", but I realized that I was trying to open my own eyes and ears and the result was a spiritually blind and deaf me, thinking I was seeing and hearing all that God was saying to me. But the Spirit began to show me how futile it was to try to "see" and "hear" on my own. I came to the realization that only the Lord makes deaf hear, opens eyes, and softens hearts. And if we desire to soften our hard hearts we must each have our own private search for this.

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" -Matt 6:6

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." -James 4:8

This is key if we desire an close relationship with our Heavenly Father. The depths of knowing God is beyond knowing about Him, it is knowing intimately Who He Is!

I've heard many people's advice on prayer be, "You're busy just like anyone else, so the best tips I can give would be to pray while you brush your teeth, while you're driving, when you take a shower." I don't think it is wrong to pray when you go on a walk or make breakfast or anything like that, but we must also make time for fellowship with God. He is the High King above all, He is the Creator of the universe.

If you were to get to talk with Queen Elizabeth II, would you even think about saying, "Well you know, Elizabeth, I need to get my exercise so let's walk and talk, okay?" Or would you ask her to talk while you brushed your teeth? The Lord wants to hear our individual voices lifted up to Him, just as any bridegroom wants to spend one-on-one time with His bride. He is the Master of our time. It is an honor and a privilege and a joy to be able to give Him whole-hearted one-on-one attention, and know that He is actually as pleased with us and that He takes as much joy in our communing with Him as we do. (And infinitely more.)

I encourage you to not just pray when you feel like it. But to "have an appointment with the Lord and keep it." Find a place where you won't be heard, and actually spend time praising, petitioning  and praying out loud. It won't be easy at first, but God promises to hear those who call out to Him, and to draw near to those who draw near to Him, and He cannot go back on His word! Soon you may learn to love your time with Him more and more so that you will wish it never had to end! I have experienced the joy in coming to Him, even when I don't feel like it. It is a beautiful thing to know that the God of the universe is mindful of me, I cannot fathom a love so deep!

Until next time,

Ashlin