Living for God in a Godless Society Part 2预览

TIME TO PRAY

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Joseph Scriven, 1855

When preacher Joseph Scriven wrote this poem in 1855, he was living in Canada and his mother was across the ocean in Ireland and sick. He wrote this poem as a way to encourage and remind her that in suffering, she could take it all to God in prayer. Up to this point in his life, Joseph knew what deep suffering felt like. He was engaged to be married two different times, and both times his fiancé died a tragic death. And yet, in his writing, he can acknowledge that our pain is even greater if we don’t take it to God.

In this day in age, there are so many places that our culture says we should look for the answers to life’s problems. Social media, friends, within ourselves, the list goes on and on. The temptation is real to try and solve our problems on our own. Our society tends to demand quick answers. Waiting isn’t something any of us really want to do or think we have time for. And when we’re waiting, we can be tempted to fill every second of the silence with some kind of noise. Sheesh!

There is a better way. A more effective way. Daniel shows us in this passage the importance of prayer in the midst of a God-sized problem. It’s really all we can do. He doesn’t just pray on the spot; he sets time apart to be in prayer. He knows that he cannot come back to King Nebuchadnezzar with any kind of answer until he has taken time away to pray and speak to God. Even under the threat of the King’s wrath, Daniel made it known he would step away to seek God’s counsel.

Throughout scripture, we are commanded to take everything to God in prayer. There’s nothing in our lives that we shouldn’t be offering up to God. Whatever you’re facing today, you can take it to God in prayer. As followers of Jesus, we all await the second coming when he returns and makes everything right. When all the pain and suffering are done forever, and we’re all ushered into eternal life in Heaven. Until then, prayer is one way we can be close to our Heavenly Father. In his letter to the church of the Thessalonians, Paul points readers to the second coming of Christ. In his closing, he gives some instructions to the church about what they can do now in the waiting. We can heed Paul’s advice even now.

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Ask Yourself and Reflect:

-How am I trying to solve life’s problems myself instead of taking them to God in prayer?

-What can I learn from Daniel about prayer when facing God-sized problems?

-When will I take time to pray for myself and for others?

Pause to Pray: Read Matthew 6:9-12 and use it as your prayer today, as Jesus instructed.

Take a Next Step: Be intentional about prayer this week. Set an alarm on your phone, designate your commute to school or work to pray, or find other quiet moments that you might otherwise fill.