Dear Diary,
So, leo I want to got for a vigil (Kesha) and I want to be intentional about my prayer life tonight. There are times I pray for 15minutes and feel like I have labored for 8hrs. I just found myself contemplating some Bible passages: 1 Thes 5:17 invites me to pray without ceasing. But..., Matthew 6:7 tells me when I pray I shouldn't keep on babbling (repeating many words).
Luke 18:1-10 teaches me about persistence in prayer. In fact Luke 6:12 tells me how Jesus continued in prayer throughout the night at a certain mountainside praying to God. Apostle Paul travailed in prayer night and day praying for the Thessalonica church, 1 Thessalonians 3:10. For 40 days and 40 nights,Moses lay prostrate before the Lord because the Lord had said He'd destroy the Israelites. He prayed to the Lord that He'd not destroy His people,-Deuteronomy 9:25-29. What! 40days and 40 nights? Did he have all those words/prayer points for those many hours? Okay, tonight I will spent about 5hrs in prayer, but what will I really be saying for that long? What really is the purpose of praying?Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 7:7 God invites me to call on Him; to ask Him for anything. Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 invites me to pray at all times; without ceasing.
Then I meet these men and women who prayed earnestly, consistently, persistently.... Elijah prayed earnestly that it'd not rain, James 5:17-18; The Psalmist cried to God day and night; everyday because of overwhelming troubles he was facing, Psalm 88:1-18; In deep anguish, Hannah prayed to the LORD and even made a vow to Him if He'd give Him a son, 1 Sam 1; Anna, a widow, she never left the temple but worshipped day and night, fasting and praying, Luke 2:36-37. Eh, am charged!
Another twist, clearly I don't even know what to pray for as I ought, Romans 8:26. ...in addition, why make my requests known to God, Philippians 4:6, if He already knows what am in need of even before I ask Him, Matthew 6:7? Why come again and again? Why persist in prayer if God already knows what I need? Why labor in prayer for hours, days and nights? What really is the purpose of prayer? Can I really badger Godinto obeying me? For sure, prayer is not just about letting God know what I need! Ponder on that!
Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae
NzakuNashipae
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