Prayer can be one of the most disingenuous exercises we undertake as Christians. When I go to the Lord in conversation am I intent on discerning His will or am I out to gain my own agenda? My life is full of plans. I know what I would like to happen. It’s my life and I know what is best for me. Immediately I have gone astray. I have made the cardinal error that so many Christians insist on making.
My life is not my own. It belongs to God. Therefore, I cannot know what is best for me other than the fact that I should be utterly dependent upon my Father in heaven. What I want to happen could in fact be disastrous and counter to what God intends. The moment I stray towards the accomplishment of my will at the expense of understanding God’s will, I veer left. The path of humanism marked by the pavestones of independence leads me across ground my Lord never intended I traverse. Instead of perfecting holiness I cultivate confusion.
Meditation
Jeremiah
Effective prayer begins and ends with a commitment to agree with God’s purpose. We see this throughout Scripture. This is precisely why the first three statements Jesus taught His disciples to pray were God-centered: hallowed be Thy name, Thy
My life is not my own it belongs to God so I approach Him with the heart of a servant. “Lord, what would you have me do and be today?” Now I find that adversarial people or pernicious problems, cannot rob me of my joy for I know that God’s will sovereignly guides me. Hallelujah! The best way to help both others and myself is to meet my Maker’s specs. I approach Him in prayer intent on discerning His plan. Then I proceed in the confidence that He is able!
Inspiration
