Today’s Utmost selection, Holiness vs. Hardness Toward God, convicted me of the degree of selfishness I place on my prayers and my pursuit of God. If I choose to meet with Him at all, it is at my time and on my terms. I treat the God of all creation as a cosmic ATM that I can access at my own convenience and pleasure. Whenever I perceive a need for spiritual enhancement, I head in my head to “the great ATM of the heavens” and withdraw a spiritual fifty or hundred. It’s quick, efficient, and impersonal, with God doing my bidding.
I had never considered prayer and worship being inextricably linked. I’m woefully underdeveloped in both areas, sort of like a body builder with noticeable arm and chest development, but bird-like legs. Chambers describes intercession as “rousing ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray.” In such a state, there would be no place for Greg-stained thoughts, ideas, or questions about what God can do or might do for the person or situation being lifted in prayer. Such a prayer would indeed be worship of the One Who made all, knows all, and does all.
Jesus said to pray like this –
Not my will, but, “Thy will be done.”
So, to offer prayer that cannot miss
We must seek the heart of the One.
