Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem
Good Evening everybody! It's Saturday Night, and time to do the Sunday Thread.
First of all, I want to thank everybody who prayed for Circlecity today. I have not heard anything, but I am accepting by Faith that God has heard our prayers and is ministering peace to our FRiend as we speak.
Today's events gave me an insight about prayer that I shall call "Praying In The Dark".
I have been a Christian for forty years, and have always prayed for anyone who requests it of me. Sometimes I hear results right away, sometimes it takes more time, and sometimes I never find out what happened after my prayers. It is completely natural and "respectable" to want to know the outcome. It is human nature! It is also human nature to want more information so that "I'll know how to pray for you!". Even with good intentions, this curiosity can easily descend into prying and even gossip. That's when we need to learn how to "Pray In The Dark". The darkness isn't a bad thing...it is just a lack of knowledge of the details.
Trust comes in knowing that God knows every detail of the situation. So even if we are "in the dark" about details, we can pray "in the light" of God's Omniscience. It actually takes more Faith to "Pray In The Dark" than it does to pray with all the facts before us.
Here's Why:
1. When we know the facts, we could get into a rap with God as to how HE can fix the problem. In fact, some of us might end up giving God advice!
2. When we know everything about the situation, we may be tempted to advise the person for whom we are praying, and tell him what HE should be doing to fix it. Thus, instead of going to God, we are didactically providing our own remedies. When we find ourselves falling into this habit, we should ask ourselves: "Did this person ask me for PRAYER? Or for ADVICE?" They are two entirely different things!
3. Finally, when we know too much, and are asking others to join us in prayer, it is very easy to descend into gossip or self-righteousness. God Forbid! None of us would ever want to do such a thing, but sometimes it DOES happen.
When we are asked for prayer, it is best not to interrogate the the person. Some people will share very little information, and others will totally "spill the beans". Nevertheless, UNLESS that person is asking for counseling or advice, it is best to keep our opinions to ourselves, and pray in faith and trust that God's Will be done.
The Book of Job is considered the oldest story in the Bible, and it addresses this very thing. At first, Job's "friends" sat with him in silence, comforting Job during his time of devastating loss. Job does not ask for advice, but suddenly the "friends" barrage him, lecture him, and berate him for chapter after chapter until finally, God intervenes. The rebuke from the Almighty is earth-shattering. Centuries later, Job's "friends" are held up as the worst example of Bronze-Age-Jerks ever assembled, and Job is held up as the Ultimate Model of Patience and Righteousness.
Just think how different it would have been if Job's "friends had learned how to "Pray in the Dark"!
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)
God Bless America!
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS