I was walking by a room that was having a prayer meeting in it and I saw a sign on the door that cited Isaiah 65:24 "Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear" and it almost did the opposite for me in what it intended - it almost made me not want to pray. Why bother?
Then I went back to my room and read the text and saw it was out of context - speaking of a future time when our communion with God will be perfect - and I breathed (prayed) easier.
I am wrestling mightily with the process and the point of prayer. I'm more and more convinced that God is drawing me into Himself, and that prayer does this. But then I read the story of the persistent widow and I question whether prayer is like a nagging old woman. Isn't that what He likens it to? I must confess, I really don't like that parable much - probably because I don't understand fully what He is saying. Or probably because I DO understand what He is saying and am not willing to submit to that level of persistence.
1 comment:
Hm... interesting. That verse was taken our of context, but it made me think of when David said "there is not a word on my tongue but You know it altogether".
I think God wants us to be persistent about being intimate with Him and submitting our will to His will in all things... and therefore we should always pray and not lose heart... which is the reason for the parable. God is not like the judge in the parable.
Hm. Good post... got me thinking while I was away last week and I was meditating on I Thess 5 where Paul talks about rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, etc... I was thinking "I don't rejoice always".
There is a lot there... in prayer and communion with God
Post a Comment