Let Us All Pray

Let Us All Pray 

by David Brenneman 

At any time we feel at ease enough to not be praying, we're in trouble.  

Time and time again in the Old Testament this theme reminds us that ease and comfort can often lead the way towards problems in living life as God intended for us.  Care must be taken that we don't run off to do our own thing just because peace is all about us. 

The Apostle Paul wrote of the fact that he would indeed boast of his weaknesses if those things would bring about the power of Christ in him. 

"In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.  Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:5-10 NASB. 

To be truthful, I really don't find much, if any, reason to boast in myself.  There've been people who point to things that I have done or said, that I attribute to the work of God in me.  I might have talents or abilities, those too come from God.  If there's anything good in me or has come from me, those are from my relationship with Jesus. 

My desire is to do my best in whatever I put my mind or my hands to in order to complete whatever it is that God's put before me. Regardless of how I feel about it.  Colossians 3:23-24.

My feelings of late are honestly of weariness.  Of sometimes feeling like I am running on empty.  But God keeps me moving on.  He keeps moving my feet.  

It's what "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" does.  Proverbs. 

We are not going to understand the rough patches of life.  We only think we understand at times.  Distress at times isn't about us personally.  Sometimes distress in our lives is because we can bear up under it when someone else in the faith cannot.  

We read also in Romans 8:28-35  "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?"

Many, many, times in the now years of writing this blog and in personal conversations with other's, it's been revealed that it was for someone else's sake I have gone through something in order for someone else to understand something that God was saying to them. 

It's not an uncommon theme of the Spirit of God.  Just read your Bible.  

My heart is indeed heavy with grief at the loss of one of the closest friends in this world that I have ever had.  My personal life has things going on it it that I await how God's going to provide in order to bring about relief.  I know that I am out of options so I am trusting in Christ to bring about whatever there is that He's prepared for concerning it.  In Christ all things are possible. 

My mind, these days, often goes to old hymns.  To me they are simpler than many of today's modern music.  

"Take my life and let it be

consecrated, Lord, to thee.

Take my moments and my days;

let them flow in endless praise,

let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move

at the impulse of thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

swift and beautiful for thee,

swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing

always, only, for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

filled with messages from thee,

filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold;

not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use

every power as thou shalt choose,

every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;

it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart it is thine own;

it shall be thy royal throne,

it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour

at thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be

ever, only, all for thee,

ever, only, all for thee." 

- Take My Life and Let it Be 

   Frances R. Havergal 1874

Prayer is where I go when I don't have all the answers. 

Prayer is where I go when all I can do is cry and words escape me. 

Prayer is where I go when I need my God to do again what He's done before. 

Prayer is my time with my Savior whenever. Whenever I don't know what to say. Whenever I don't know what to do.  Or even when I might think I know what I am saying or doing. 

My Savior had said that I am in His hands. My Savior said that He loves me. 

My Savior promised to never leave me nor forsake me. 

These are some of the things that I pray back to Him.  

Don't let the deception of an apparently peaceful life keep you from a right relationship with Jesus.  It's then that you must pray all the more. The Spirit says to be on the alert for a reason.  

While I might feel like there's a huge load on my shoulders and I don't know when, how, or where God's going to do something about it, as it is written I will still yet trust in my Savior.