Lord, teach us to pray (Part V)
Posted By admin1 on December 17, 2008
“I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (I Timothy 2:8).
Praying is a request and petition we make to God. This request, should be made in faith (Part III). Faith also means that we trust that God will have the best outcome for our lives. Paul says we must pray lifting up holy hands. Our lifting up of hands should be in total surrender to God’s will. When Jesus was facing his death, he prayed for God’s will to be done (St. Matthew 26:42). He surrendered his will to that of the Father.
Sometimes we take our burdens to God but we still want to control the outcome of our petitions. This means we have not fully entrusted God with our lives. We do not trust that God is able to make the right decision for our lives.
Jesus also taught about accepting God’s will in our lives. He taught that when we pray, we must also mention it in prayer: “thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (St. Matthew 6: 10). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednedgo surrendered their lives to God. They totally relied on God’s will for their lives, as they answered: “we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us form the burning furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hastset up.” (Daniel 3:16-18).
As we would not continue carrying our heavy luggage whilst in transit, it is in the same way that we should be: “casting our all your care upon him, for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:7). To experience God’s will in our lives, we have to learn to surrender all to him.
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Wonderful!!