A Church with a Heart for our Community

January 17th Thursday

Greetings to you in the name of the chain-breaker, the prison-shaking Saviour, the way-maker, the pain-taker…Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! Another wonderful day in the kingdom with another opportunity to declare – This is the day that God has made…carefully designed…for us and we will rejoice and find delight in it! Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to reveal an awareness of His presence and glory to you…and release a sense of ‘shalom peace’.

As much as I like music and song and good quotes…and I do – I like thought provoking articles. With that in mind, let me share a recently read article about “prayer”. For the most part the article was logical and well-written, but the author, Steven Peck, presented a verse of scripture with a personal insight that did provoke a thought or two. First let me give you the verse: While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live…(2 Samuel 12:22). Then the author says, “Who knows? What kind of theology of prayer is that? I join with Steve Peck in declaring, “Well, with my limited understanding, I find it’s my theology of prayer too.” 

Listen to Steve’s logic: “Steve, why do you pray?” the skeptic inquires of me. In my heart I know God can’t possibly answer each of my requests, or that would make Him my personal magic assistant, effectively crowning me ruler of the world. — So I certainly don’t pray because I know  God will always say yes. Instead I answer the skeptic this way: “I pray because who knows what God will do? Perhaps He will extend His grace beyond what is already abundant grace in Jesus Christ. Perhaps He will extend His grace beyond what was laid out in His original plan. Perhaps He will. Perhaps He won’t. — Who knows? God does. So I must pray with child-like faith, as I am commanded to do, and leave the outcomes to Him.”

Truth be told, there are many times we pray as we face seemingly impossible circumstances and challenges with an understanding that the answer we are looking for is illogical, improbable, and unlikely. However we keep praying–why? because we know the truth of the scripture…”who knows!?!?”

Have a ponder or two about that…and be blessed!