DAILY DEVOTIONAL – February 15, 2021
“A New Day to Pray”
Prayer: Our God and Father, it is not often enough we stop to realize the miracle of prayer. You promise to always listen. You promise to always answer. Lord we ask for the eyes and ears of faith to hear You and the strength of faith to walk according to Your answers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: John 16:25-28
“The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
Devotional: “A New Day to Pray”
My grandmother once told me, “Every morning when you wake up, knock on heaven’s door before your feet hit the floor.” I must confess, though I remember my grandmother’s words and agree with them, I find it difficult to pray first thing upon waking up – even when I think about doing it the night before. Usually thoughts about the day ahead take up most of the little space I have to think within the fist 30 minutes of waking up. I’m not sure exactly who first said this (it’s often attributed to Martin Luther), but regardless of the source, it is true nonetheless, “I have so much to do today, I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
Especially when we have a lot going on in life, we should pray all the more. After all, Jesus did say to His disciples in John 15, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Sure, even unbelievers get a lot done without praying, but only those things done in faith are the things that please God and that serve an eternal purpose even in this temporary life. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” We are invited by our Lord to pray about everything and He assures us in Luke 11:9 that when we “…ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Jesus said in our text from John 16, “in that day”. Jesus was talking about today, the days you and I live in, the days after Christ’s ascension to the right hand of the Father. In these days Jesus said we have the incredible privilege of speaking to God directly, to coming before the very throne of the Alpha and Omega, the eternal God Almighty, bowing before Him in the Name of Christ our Lord and having the Creator God bend His ear to hear the prayers of each one of His children.
The Father Himself loves you and I Jesus said. Christ made sure of that by dying and rising again to restore us to God. God went through all that so He could be our Heavenly Father. Who of those that call the God of Eternity “Father” sees fit not to spend as much time as possible talking with their “Abba” Father, as Jesus called Him? Our “daddy.”
So is there a certain amount of time we have to pray? Is there a particular way to pray? Simply put, the answer to any prescription on prayer is, no.
Prayer is not an exercise for God. He is not dependent upon our prayers to work in our life or perfectly and lovingly reign as the forgiving and generous Lord of our life. Prayer is something God has given to us as a gracious gift, because we are dependent on Him for everything. He gave His Son over to the sinfulness of humanity to be sacrificed so that by Christ’s dying for our sins and raising to new life for our salvation, He can now freely give us everything we need and the hope and strength our hearts desire. Prayer is not a method or duty. Prayer in the Word of God is the Christian life.
Lutheran theologian Johan Gerhard, in perhaps my favorite quotation from him in his book on Daily Piety, says:
“None of us should take our prayers lightly. God, to whom we pray, does not take them lightly. Before they pass over our lips, He commands them to be written in His book. Furthermore, anyone with a sound mind and good judgment, anyone who considers the divine majesty of God and our weakness, understands how profitable and necessary it is to pray without ceasing and how difficult it is to do. When you stand before the Lord to pray, stand before Him with great fear and desire. Break the chains of earthly anxiety from your heart.”
We often hear it said when someone is waiting eagerly for important or exciting news, or just when they can’t wait to hear the latest gossip, “Hurry up and tell me, I am dying to hear.” Though that is just a figure of speech for us, the truth is my friends, someone did die to hear from you. Jesus Christ died in order that you may know Him and know God as we are loved by Him and live each day in the sure hope of His love, forgiveness and salvation.
Thanks for joining me for another devotional, and remember, that God has already forgiven yesterday, is with you today and has already taken care of tomorrow. Amen.
