Prayer to the Father

-
Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sometimes the burdens of life feel heavy.  Impossible situations loom and threaten to crush our very being.  Illness, death, natural disasters, broken relationships, disputes, and troubles of this world surround us.  No escape seems possible.  Discouragement invades our souls.

"I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory." (Eph. 3:13)

No place to turn.  That is no one to turn to except God.  Our own human resources have come to an end.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name." (Eph. 3:14,15)

Remembering our Maker.  The Mighty One who creates by breathing a word.  The Almighty who has more power in his little finger then all the natural disasters that leave us helpless.  The Holy One whose plans our finite minds cannot comprehend.  How can we not kneel?  Being in the presence of our awesome God brings us to our knees.   It is our Savior we approach.

"In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."  (Eph. 3;12)

How to pray?  What to pray?  Sometimes words escape us.  God through his Holy Word and the inspired writers grants the prayer.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  (Eph. 3:16-19)
God hears.  He heard Elijah on Mt. Carmel, and he sent fire from heaven.  He heard King Hezekiah when the invincible Assyrian army surrounded the city, and the angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp.  He heard Elisha when the Arameans surrounded Dothan, and he opened Elisha's servant's eyes to see the hills full of the Lord's horses and chariots of fire.  He heard the Christians praying for Peter's deliverance from prison in the book of Acts, and he unlocked the prison doors so Peter could walk out.  Yes, God hears.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen."  (Eph. 3:20,21)

Linking up with:
Raising Arrows
Good Morning Girls

Comments

  1. Heather HenryFebruary 23, 2012 at 9:58 PM

    Wonderful! Sometimes it seems there is so much going on in my mind, it is hard to pray. I get lost in my words and my mind wanders. At those times, it is so refreshing to go to the word and read the prayers and calm my mind and refocus. I've learned over the years that leaning on Him is the best I can do in any situation.
    Great reminders.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Skillet Zucchini and Hamburger

-
Image
My garden is producing peppers, onions, and zucchini and yellow squash right now.  I ran across this recipe, and the kids thought it was great.  They liked it much better then the way I had fixed the zucchini previously in a similar recipe with diced tomatoes instead of spaghetti sauce. What You Need: 1 lb ground chuck 2 lb zucchini or yellow squash, chopped in bite size pieces 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 26 ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon black pepper salt to taste What To Do: 1.  Brown ground chuck with onion and bell pepper in a large skillet.  Drain grease. 2.  Add garlic and seasonings.  Stir. 3.  Add zucchini and stir.  Cover with lid and cook over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes until zucchini is crisp tender.  Stir about every 5 minutes. 4.  Remove lid and stir in spaghetti sauce.  Co
Read more

When You Have To Let Go

-
Image
Heartache.  Deep, painful, agonizing heartache.  For a season that felt like it would never end, I carried a weight of anguish that tore at my very soul.  Parenting had been the source of immense joy for me, but at the same time there came with it intense sorrow.    Learning to handle this heartache is something that for me personally both challenged and grew my faith.  During this time I learned to appreciate the words of Psalm 77.  The lament of the Psalmist was much the same as my own heart cry to God.  It says,  I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. You hold my eyelids open ; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made diligent search:
Read more

My Battle with Depression

-
Image
"Your Mom is not the same person she was," I overheard my husband explain to one of our boys. Our son wistfully replies, "I hope she gets better soon." My tears flowed.  I was not sure I would ever be better.  How does a broken heart heal?  How is one ever the same after they are broken? Each day I rose early.  In the stillness of the morning, I sought strength from above.  I never wanted to leave the quiet.  I wanted to stay here reading His Word and praying.  But...children awoke, meals needed fixed, laundry begged washing, and somehow I walked through each day.  However, I lived angry inside...angry that my solitude had been disturbed. The reality of my life was depression.  A depression that would not loosen its grip. It took me a long time to acknowledge it though. Over a year before my medical doctor had suggested to me that I take an anti-depressant.  I had gone in for unexplained aching and fatigue in my body.  After a lot of blood work, and fi
Read more