Email devotion for 6/29

“Give us life, and we will call on your name.”  Psalm 80:18  

“If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”  John 14:14  

A friend recently forwarded “A dialog with God”.  Prayer:  “God, you are eternal.  What is a million years to you?”  God:  “But a second.”  Prayer:  “The Earth and everything in it is yours.  What is a million dollars to you?”  God:  “But a penny.”  Prayer:  “God, can I have a penny?”  God:  “In a second.” 

I have heard it said, “Why pray?  It doesn’t ‘work’.”  That is to say, God didn’t do just what was asked.  It is as though GOD is saying “Thy will be done” TO US.  That would seem a good deal for us!  We ask God for some very good, important things:  good jobs with fair wages for all; an end to oppression and violence, homelessness and hunger; world peace.  One would think God would happily take action on such requests … but then what would there be for us to do?

There is an attitude to prayer.  Let my team win the championship / help me do my best.  Make me wealthy / we humbly give thanks for decent shelter, suitable clothing, enough to eat.  Let me live / give me courage and peace to trust in your presence to the end.  Jesus’ own disciples could not pray away pain and death.  Jesus did not pray himself down from the cross.  

We are in constant touch – a living prayer – with a loving God who knows our worries and shortcomings, our grief and anger, as well as our hopes and joys.  One prayer we know will be answered just as we request:  “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

From Matthew 6:  “[Our] Father knows what [we] need before [we] ask him. 9 Pray then like this:  ‘“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  10 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen

Verla Olson