Tag Archives: prayer

January 26
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“‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them.  ’Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’”  (Luke 22: 46, NIV)
 
The most compelling temptation is not the urge to do something that is wrong, but it is the urge to do something that is good but falls far short of excellent.  It is the urge to settle for the near-term tactical advantage at the expense of the long-term strategic victory.
Sleeping is not a bad thing.  It is while we sleep that our bodies repair, refresh and regenerate.  However, in today’s scripture verse, something was happening that called for a response from the disciples that sleeping could never deliver.
To choose to pray is to aspire to see the world as God sees the world.  In prayer, we avoid temptations to settle for anything less than God’s will in the challenges we confront each day.  – Luther
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October 17
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“The first thing I want you to do is pray.  Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.  This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.”  (1 Timothy 2:1-3, The Message)

As disciples of Jesus, we are we instructed to stay engaged as persons devoted to prayer — at all times and for all people.

Do not be discouraged because it seems that a prayer is too small to make any difference. Do not be discouraged because it seems that a prayer is too private to be heard.  Great floods begin with raindrops; and the One who hears our prayer sustains the universe.

Pray first.  Pray often.  Pray for everyone.  – Luther

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August 4
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“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”  (Job 42:10, NIV)

Praying for our friends (particularly when they have rubbed us the wrong way — as friends are in an excellent position to since they are close to us and know our crimes and inconsistencies) can be a difficult choice.

In Job’s case, his friends began well at the beginning of his afflictions: They came to Job and sat with him for a week, saying nothing, but being present just the same.  Then, they began to give advice.  It was sincere advice, but it wasn’t intelligent advice.  Their advice grieved Job.

At the end of Job’s ordeal, it was time for reconciliation.  Job could have borne a grudge but, in obedience to God, Job prayed for his friends.

We can do our friends no greater service than to take what all we know of their crises, burdens, fears, and joys to the Lord in prayer.  (We impede the work of God when we choose to gossip, pontificate, and prognosticate about the situations of our friends.)

Pray for your friends, as only true friends can.   – Luther

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