Christian: Always Depend On Prayer

"Today's Devotion" For March 11, 2005

Read: Matthew 7:7-12
Psalm 34

CHRISTIAN: ALWAYS DEPEND ON PRAYER

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will opened to you."(Mt. 7:7)

To live a truly Christian life and be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is the most intense challenge any of God's people can face in this world. We live in a world that places so many obstacles to faith and faithfulness before us that it's a miracle that we can get through each day, much less a lifetime, without pushing God out of our lives. As I've watched, read, and listened to the new out of Iraq over the last week, I've wondered about the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and well-being of those Marines and soldiers that have been finding the mass graves with decapitated bodies, including those of women and children. To think that those men aren't going to come home changed by such experiences would be purely foolish. As they continue to do their duty in a terrible situation, where can they turn for strength and solace? How can they gain the strength to carry out and stay "sane" in the face of the barbarism of war?

There is no greater blessing in such situations in life than to take it to the Lord in prayer. By the power of His Word and Spirit He sustains us in our faith. By that faith we are blessed to approach the throne of grace with our petitions, our needs, our fears, our hopes, and our dreams. The most important source of comfort and strength for our troops in the harsh circumstances of war is the gift of prayer. As our Lord Jesus Christ points out, the most important source of help in times of trial and tribulation is the opportunity to take it to the Lord in prayer. The promise of prayer for the faithful disciple is the same, whether we're in a war zone or right here at home. Our Lord Jesus assures us that we can, with complete confidence take every care, burden, horrible situation, and every other concern and need in our lives to our heavenly Father Who has made us His very own children in Christ. To ask, seek and knock is to approach the throne of grace with certainty that God will respond according to His promises.

As we face life in this world, whether in a war zone or our own backyard, we need to hear, over and over again, our Lord's own promise that our heavenly Father wants to give us only good things. In the face of intense struggles, fearful circumstances, threats of death, and anything else the world might place at our doorsteps, we can be certain that God will hear us and answer our every need according to His purpose and for our good. He may not answer as we'd like Him to answer. He may answer in a way that we find uncomfortable or not according to what we think is best. But no matter how our Father answers our prayers we can rest assured that His answer is always for the best in our lives. First and foremost of His blessings to us is the forgiveness of all our sins in Jesus. When we come to Him in despair, we are given hope. When we feel alone and lonely, without a friend in the world, we are reminded by our Father that we never walk alone, that Jesus walks with us all the way. And, as prayer brings us these good things, so also do we reflect God's goodness to us as we share that goodness with others. As He has so richly blessed us, we also are a blessing to others, giving and receiving as God has so richly blessed us. Thank God for His bountiful goodness which gives us all we need to overcome the dangers of this world and the temptations of sin in our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for sharing the great gift of prayer with me. Knowing that I can come to the Father for anything and everything because of You is of great comfort and joy to me. I no longer feel alone or stuck with making spiritual decisions I am ill-equipped to make as a sinner. I know that I can call on my heavenly Father and He will help me through the challenges of life and the decisions I must make so that I do what is pleasing in His sight. Lord, as I remember those men and women serving in "harm's way" in Iraq, and experiencing the horrible, sinful depravity of war and man's inhumanity to man, lead me to lift them up before the Father in prayer. Be with them and give them the strength of faith to come to You in prayer, never doubting that they will receive strength, hope, courage, and peace in their conversations with You. Help me to also focus my prayers in behalf of others, so that they, too, might receive Your many good things. Hear me, dearest Lord Jesus for Your name's sake. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.