Powerless Prayers
What is a powerless prayer? Is it a prayer to an unknown god? -To a lesser god? Or is a prayer of a "lesser" person, perhaps an unenlightened non-clergy? I s a powerless prayer presented by a modern day Pharisee on a performance based platform?
We all know the power of a child's prayer. Simple. Straightforward. Full of faith. A child often knows that their Abba (Daddy) God cares about the smallest detail of their life--a new skate board or a bunny rabbit or puppy--or maybe and often this is the case, a child will pray a selfless prayer for Grandma to get better or for Daddy to get a new job or to stop drinking.
So, how do we graduate from a child-ish prayer to a prayer of power, passion and depth? Is it in the reading of volumes of liturgy and theology? Is it in monkish sacrificial fasting? Is there a formula? Didn't Jesus teach his disciples a "formula" prayer?
We all become appalled when they try to take out "legislative" prayer in the assembly. But, is it really prayer? If we pray to a variety of gods lest we offend someone? How do we "vet" those who are worthy to pray on behalf of others or even a nation?
Is powerful prayer when there are accomnaying signs, wonders and miracles? Didn't Jesus himself say that you will say to me on that day, "have I not preached in your name and cast out demons in your name and I will say to you, Depart from me, I never knew you?"
Powerless prayer is prayer that is prayed by someone that doesn't know to whom they are speaking. Like an unsolicited sales phone call, it doesn't get the attention of its intended. Do we KNOW to whom we pray? If we do, we are in awe, we are respectful, we are in love with HIM, we trust him completely with every detail of our lives. We know His voice (My sheep know my voice) and HE, our shepherd knows ours--not by how many books we have read, or how often we go to church, or fast and pray duty-bound prayers, or how intellectually astute we in biblical hermeneutics. He loves us because we are HIS beloved and He acts powerfully on our behalf.
Do you want to know HIM? Just humbly ask him to forgive your sin, to come into your total being, life and thought processes and then begin to read His love letters to you. Before you know it, you will have songs in the night, revelations and answers to prayer. That is powerful prayer.
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