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Printer Friendly VersionTimothy Jones authored a book entitled Prayer’s Apprentice,
published in 2000. He said that as he was working on a project he had a sudden
burst of inspiration. He asked himself what would happen if he supplemented
his own devotional life with the recorded prayers of wise spiritual teachers.
How might his spiritual life find a deeper meaning?
He confronted the question, “Doesn’t praying what
others have formulated lead to a second-hand spirituality? A stiff formality?
After all, most of us---including myself—cherish spontaneity in almost
everything, no less in our praying…I’ve learned in recent years
that I don’t always want to have to ‘wing it’ in the presence
of God.” He goes on to say that spontaneity is really overrated. He quotes
Eugene Peterson, “The primary use of prayer is not for expressing ourselves,
but in becoming ourselves, and we cannot do that alone.” It is great
to have mentors to point the way.
The text for today reveals King Solomon’s desire to mine
the richness of communicating with God through the avenue of prayer. His recorded
prayer can help mentor us to “become ourselves.” At this juncture
in his life Solomon is unencumbered with selfishness, distractions, and the
allurement of unlimited power. This prayer demonstrates a desire to be faithful,
obedient, and to have fellowship with God. In his innocence he is inviting
the Almighty to have sovereign rule over his life. How tragic that later in
his life this king would lose sight of God and begin to prostitute with foreign
deities. But in the beginning of his rule, he was accountable to the true
God.
Today we will take this prayer and allow it to help us find
a deeper meaning in our own spirituality. Let us allow it to be a mentoring
prayer for us.
Praise springs from the heart of Solomon for the graciousness
and kindness of a loving, caring God. Walter Bruggemann penned: “Solomon
sets himself in the history of Yahweh with his people. The context for prayer
is a recital of the long history of graciousness which reshapes and redefines
this moment of prayer. Such prayer is never in a vacuum, but always in a context
of faithful remembering and a grateful resolve to continue this family in
faith.”
Remembering that God is the one in charge of our life will help
us to live life to the fullest. Our praise reaches his heart as we make ourselves
available to him for whatever he chooses to do with us. Genuine praise goes
to him for who he is and not because of what he gives us materially. How often
we turn that thought around! If he blesses us with material things we will
praise him and not just because of whom he is to us. God is not the mythical
Santa Claus, but he is the God of the universe! He must be the object of our
adoration, reverence, and awe. Praise glorifies him!
Writer Richard Lee wrote, “Oh, for a heart that is fixed
on God no matter what happens. Oh, for a devotion to Him that is steadfast,
from lips that will praise His unchanging love and faithfulness, though all
the world crumbles around our feet. This is the praise that pleases the Father
and brings glory to His name.”
How much praise have you given God lately? Even in the midst
of tragedy, loneliness, heartache, emotional upheaval, or illness?
Life and power originate from honest submission to a loving
God. Solomon solicits God’s awesome power, waits on it, and then submits
to it.
The story is told that Stephen Beck observed that while driving
down an old country road that he came to a very narrow bridge. In front of
the bridge was a sign stating, “Yield.” Since no other cars were
coming he continued across the bridge to his final destination.
On the return trip he came to the same one-lane bridge, but
from the opposite direction. To his surprise there was an identical “Yield”
sign posted. The two signs were place on the opposite end of the bridge to
help prevent drivers from having head-on crashes.
Submitting to God allows us to avoid head-on collisions with
his will for our lives. An outline to help us recall that submission is God’s
plan is:
*Submission is the secret of powerful spiritual living.
*Submission is the source of praise to the eternal God of life.
*Submission is the stem of purposeful living.
*Submission is the satisfaction of planned living.
God has conquered all of life and it was secret to Solomon.
In his book, A Life of Prayer, Paul Cedar told his reading audience
that in order to enjoy a wonderful and indescribably joyful lifestyle of drawing
close to God and communing regularly with Him, three steps must be taken.
First, we must resist the devil. Fellowship with God and fellowship
with the devil are incompatible, for in the deepest sense every time prayer
is engaged it begins with a battle. Satan opposes any attempt to communicate
and commune with God.
Second, we must live clean holy lives. God wants us to approach
him with an open heart made clean by the confession of our sin, lives made
clean by repentance, and relationships made pure by our forgiveness of others.
Third, we must humble ourselves before the Lord. When this happens
God will do twin things for us…he will lift us up and give us grace.
Grace is God’s merit to us as we follow him, not our merit to earn.
Solomon would understand Cedar’s writing and would agree
with it. How is your “submission” prayer life?
King Solomon does not ask for riches, health or power, but rather
for wisdom on how to lead his people. It is a powerful demonstration of compassion
and concern for people. You might say it was his passion!
Compassion comes to stay when others leave. Wisdom knows the
difference between genuine compassion and passing sorrow. Compassion leaves
a lasting mark on the world.
In a series of books entitled, The Mitford Years, authoress
Jan Karon’s main character is Father Tim Kavanagh, who is a town Episcopal
priest in fictitious Mitford. He is a friend and counselor to nearly everyone
in the village. In an offshoot of his series she has Father Kavanagh doing
one of his favorite things to relax, read. As he reads he records particular
passages that strike him, and he jots it down in his “quote book.”
She has made it into a wonderful book entitled, Patches of Godlight. As I
thought about some quotes on compassion, I thumbed through this delightful
quote book. Here are a couple of them that stood out on compassion.
C.S. Lewis: “If you read history you will find that the Christians who
did most for the present world were those who thought most of the next. The
apostles themselves, who set out on foot to convert the Roman Empire, the
great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English evangelicals who abolished
the slave trade, all left their mark on earth, precisely because their minds
were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think
of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one. Aim at
Heaven and you will get earth ‘Thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you
will get neither.”
An unknown author wrote this prayer: “Almighty and eternal
God, so draw my heart to you, so guide my mind, so fill my imagination, so
control my will, that I may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and
then use me, I pray, as you will, and always to your glory, and the welfare
of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Isn’t it time for us to who claim to be Holiness people
to become compassionate people as well?
The miracle of this prayer rests on God. He answered the king
in a way that far exceeded Solomon’s hopes or dreams. God is very good
at that. He surpasses the minimal heart requests and gives us that for which
we do not ask. As we submit ourselves in faith and obedience, God will provide
blessing far beyond our anticipated dreams!
Paul Cedar wrote: “Down through the ages God has answered
the prayers of His people. Frequently He has displayed His power. However,
God does not do so for show or simply to be spectacular. He manifests His
power when it is appropriate to accomplish His will.”
Your God is available to help you today. Will you allow him the opportunity? Pray, my friend, and seek his will for your life as Solomon did centuries ago.