Pastor Jim Mann
Jesus was once asked by a disciple how to pray. The answer, as you know, was the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in heaven…”). But then he told several parables about prayer.
One was the story of a man who had surprise visitors at midnight but had no food for them. Since hospitality is so important in the Middle East, the man goes to wake a friend and borrow some bread. The friend has the bread but doesn’t want to get up and get it. However, because of the boldness and persistence in asking, he eventually does.
Then Jesus tells a story of a child who asks his father for a fish and an egg. No loving father would give instead a snake or scorpion.
Later Jesus tells two more stories about prayer. In one, a certain lady was asking a judge for justice. Though the judge was “unjust,” he nevertheless helped the woman because of her pestering.
In the second, a Pharisee prayed in public, making sure everyone saw his outward acts of holiness. Without fanfare, a tax-collector humbly asked for God’s forgiveness.
Jesus teaches us that the words we pray are important. But there’s something even more important than our words. What God looks at most in our prayers isn’t the phases we use but the inclination of our hearts. In fact, the parables above describe how our hearts should “look” as we go to the Lord in prayer.
We should be bold in asking and knocking—if it works with a friend that doesn’t want to be bothered at night, we can rest assured that it will work with a God who never sleeps nor slumbers.
We should trust that God will care for us—if it works in a father/child relationship, it will be even better in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
We should be persistent in prayer and not give up if our requests are not immediately answered—if it works with a wicked judge, how much more with a righteous God?
We should be humble because it is not our words that get God’s attention, it is our hearts.
Give prayer a try this week. I’ll see you in church!
Jim Mann, Ph.D. pastors New Life Church at Robson Ranch. This interdenominational church meets at the Robson clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. Visit New Life’s website: www. NewLifeDenton.org for more information.