TGIF
“The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 a.m. for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.” Tim Keller
It was actually about 3:30 when I woke up…the pain killer I took a few hours before had worn off and the one I was about to swallow would take a while to kick in.
I have always believed that whenever I am lifted out of slumber in the middle of the night it was because God was calling on me to pray. The pain that felt like a knife in my hip was simply a divine alarm clock that I couldn’t slap to shut off.
I’ve almost always heeded that (real or imagined) call to prayer…I assumed that if He wanted to hear from me it was because He intended to act on what He heard.
That is encouragement I need these days as He doesn’t seem to respond much the other times I pray…at least not in ways that seem to correlate with the requests. I say that with no small trepidation…I’m a pastor and a lot of folks read what I write…and I don’t want to discourage anybody. On the other hand, I want the discouraged to know that they’re not alone.
Steve Brown taught me how to pray for people…he wrote that he just imagines himself bringing each person he’s praying for to Jesus…because good things happen when you come to Jesus and He already knows what they need.
So, this morning I began bringing my people to the Savior…knowing what some of them needed or desired and just leaving others to the One who knows infinitely more than I do and loves them more to the same degree.
I’d prayed for a dozen. maybe two, when the doubts began to speak, then they began to speak louder than I was praying.
This was not the devil or may sin nature…just rational doubt based on experience.
Some of these requests were the same ones I’d been praying for months, years, many years.
How much longer, Lord?
As soon as that thought came up, I knew I had company praying with me…a great cloud of witnesses.
‘How long?” has been the heart cry of God’s people since the bondage of Egypt through the Babylonian captivity through the Psalms to future saints in heaven waiting for justice.
Jesus’s reply is always “just a little longer”…
Endure a little longer. pray a little longer, love a little longer…He is in control and will give what He has promised.
So, I will keep on enduring, praying, and loving while waiting in faith for Him to come…not just for the sake of those I pray for, but for the sake of His name…that He might be praised and glorified by those He loves.
I believe, help my unbelief.
Make your own application…
Yes.
Every single word of this, yes.
I remember writing to you at the end of a long discussion when prayer seemed to be so ineffective that I’d stopped praying and was just breathing “…nevertheless, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
I believe, even when I can no longer believe.
Thanks very much for sharing this, Michael.
Thank you, Donner.
Alex,
Yes…even the weakest prayer…even a thought towards God…is evidence that a flicker of hope is still present, even if that hope is for something unseen.
bob1,
Thank you, my friend…
Really good! Thanks for sharing this, it is very encouraging. Lord, I believe as well; help my unbelief.
Thanks, UB…
A number of years ago when sleep was elusive due to a very complex hip replacement (second on the same side) a friend from church suggested I pray through God’s attributes alphabetically or pray for people by each letter. It really helped me focus and I still do this, often changing topics but still using the alphabet to stay focused.
Thank you for expressing so much of what I’ve long felt about prayer.
Michael
As a pastor too, I truly appreciate your honesty regarding prayer. It’s the thing I struggle with the most. I often times feel like I am praying to a wall.
It brings me little hope or comfort. It kinda feel like playing the lottery. I bought a ticket but my chance in winning a 1 in a million.
I used to feel a connection to God when I prayed. But now he seems as distant as the sun
I often pray in my ministerial duties—for others especially. I’ve got it down. I know how to sound creative and very spiritual. I know it blesses others but I feel nothing.
You’ve done a way better job of continuing in prayer (though you struggle) than me. I only pray when called upon to do so. And I say that to my shame
Officerhoppy,
Thanks.
I think that prayer is the most difficult practice of the faith ,because we see so little evidence that anyone has actually heard them.
There are times when it feels downright foolish to continue, but to stop would mean I have ceased hoping for anything but the eschaton.
It makes matters worse that we really can’t discuss these matters with anyone except our closest confidants, especially those of us in the pastorate.
Michael and Hoppy,
Gosh, I love you guys! Thanks for your refreshing honesty.
After this discussion, I just got off the phone with Trey…who out of the blue wanted to recite all the prayers for him that have been answered and give thanks to God…I just said the amen…
That’s awesome! May the Lord continue to strengthen his faith.