"Max almost didn't make it to the meeting tonight," the leader of our study on prayer said. We were to begin a video/discussion series by Max Lucado last night. "We had ordered this material several weeks ago, and it was back-ordered and back-ordered," he explained, then told an animated account of how he had chased down the UPS truck, got inside and dug through contents until he came up with the video!
Well, it was worth all his effort! The study, "Before Amen," deals with the simplicity of prayer and how sometimes people are uncertain or reluctant to pray because they don't know how. For purposes of the study, Max distills prayer into four succinct divisions: "God, you are good. I need help. They need help. Thank You."
Today Howard and a helper worked in our basement cleaning and organizing it, discarding some of the partially empty boxes from our last move. I made a pot of potato soup and a chocolate cake, of which they ate heartily when they were almost finished.
"Don't be going up and down the stairs since you just ate," I cautioned my husband, who has been known to get a little short of breath if he exerts himself after eating. Naturally, he didn't pay any attention but went down and did some more. A little while later, I noticed him being extremely quiet and preoccupied in his easy chair.
He admitted he was having some discomfort and asked for an Alka-Seltzer, but just wanted to rest, and I was more than a little concerned. "Get me the Scripture Keys book," he requested. He went to the section on healing scriptures and asked to be left alone.
A little later, I noticed he was looking like his old self, and he said brightly, "God answered my prayer! I have been healed!" What a relief! Praise God!
Then he said, "And something else. I was thinking a few days ago about a book I used to have." He described the book to me, and I remembered he had referred to often when we lived in Mississippi several years ago. "I prayed that I would find that book, and would you believe I found it in the basement today!" He went on to marvel that "God answers my prayers!"
Part of the discussion last night was that some people seem to have the gift of prayer. They can pray long, effective, heartfelt, beautiful prayers. My husband is one of them. He is conversationally gifted. He can talk and talk. While others pray more simply and to the point. I am one of them. I tend to speak in the same manner, directly and even abruptly. It seems we should pray in a manner comfortable to us. Oh, and I have my prayers answered, too!
After the meeting, several people said they had been feeling guilty about their prayer lives for not praying longer and more proper prayers, but now they were reassured that God hears all our prayers, no matter how halting or faltering they may be!
Jesus said in Matthew 6:7-8, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. (8)Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
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