"How many men seem to begin to pray without really thinking about prayer! They rush, without preparation or thought, into this presence of God." Only a couple sentences into this article and I am already convicted! How kind of the Lord! As I read this I thought "this is how I often am...unfortunately." He goes on to talk about how diligently and faithfully someone prepares when they have to go before someone. When I am praying I am going before the GREATEST SOMEONE, my Heavenly Father! I know what it is like to not prepare and give a presentation and just "wing it." It usually doesn't come out how I wanted it to, as sincere, or showing that I really mean or know what I am talking about. It is carelessness. Then there are those times when I do prepare for something and I feel more at ease and comfortable and ready for questions and challenges. So, if I really prepare my heart before I come before the Lord then my times of prayer can be much more glorying to Him. If prepared I won't come fumbling for words and what to pray for or repeating the same things I always do with, so I can say I prayed. There is a difference I have experienced it myself...so why don't I ALWAYS come prepared???
"But David, when he wanted to pray, went and looked in his heart to see what he could find there, and he found in his heart to pray this prayer to God." I loved how Spurgeon talked about "talking to ourselves." Sounds familiar doesn't it :) In talking to myself, I might better understand what is going on in my heart and then know how I need to pray or what to pray for. If I just listen then I could mosey on along without seriously evaluating my heart. My prayer is that I would begin to constantly search my heart and see what I can find there, and find in my heart to pray this prayer to God!
Monday, July 21, 2008
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4 comments:
This hit me in a similar way. I notice how quickly I run into prayer unprepared. So my question is this: how can we be effectively prepared when we come before God with our petitions? How can we frame our minds to be ready and precise in our prayer requests? I have found that keeping note of my prayer requests helps me to not only be more prepared, but helps me to remember to ask consistently, and also to look for God to answer said request. Then, when the Lord answers, I can rejoice all the more. What other suggestions would any of you have?
This is something that I’ve been working on in my own life…. Being prepared to pray. In my quiet times with the Lord I usually find it’s helpful to begin by spending time in the Word first. In doing so it starts of my day by bringing much joy to my soul and helps me not only begin to prepare for my day, but it also prepares me to begin praying. When I read about the majesty and splendor of my Father in heaven it gives me more of a passion to seek Him and a realization that He is faithful and will answer requests if it is His will. I then begin by sitting in God’s presence thanking Him for everything he has done for me, given to me, prayer requests he has answered, etc. and then begin to offer up requests to God. This is definitely not something that I’m a “master” at; it’s something God has been convicting me of. As I have been doing this more often, by the grace of God, it’s produced much fruit in my life and I’m so grateful for it!
These are great! I have found that praying as I drive is a good way to "seize my commute" time. But it also puts me in a better mindset once I get to work. I am focused on pleasing Him and not complaining about work. As Candace said "This is definitely not something that I’m a “master” at; it’s something God has been convicting me of." And when practiced bears much joy!
I have not completely read day 1 yet but two quotes that seem so eagerly to fit in with spurgeon's point of "looking into the heart to see what prayer may be found" are these from Ignatius (Foxes Book of Martry's)
Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing, of visible or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus!"
"I am the wheat of Christ; I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread."
- Quotes of Ignatius from Foxes book of Martrys, copyright 1926; pp. 5,6
Saved men and woman will have grace in their hearts. The hearts are the "factory" of generating prayers..these then are the prayers I wish to make, but first I wish to make my heart worthy of these prayers.
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