When You Pray

Matthew 26:39b  “Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

 
     As we think about prayer, I want to share with you a way I organize my prayer requests.  For many many years I kept a prayer list on a long narrow strip of paper in the center of my Bible (at the beginning of Psalms) to help me stay focused on the people I wanted to pray for and the specific things I wanted to pray about.  It became tattered and torn but was like an old friend.  (Yes, I still have it.)
     In 2007, our church started doing Prayer Requests by email and since there were so many requests that I couldn’t remember them all I started a “Prayer Notebook,” .  On the left-hand side of the page I made 2 columns: one is for the date the request was made and the other is for the letter ” A” for “answered”— if or when I ever knew the  specific answer.  How encouraging it is to see many “A’s” and a lined crossed through the request !  Other requests remain on the pages even after 6 years. But I praise the Lord that I can bring them all without hesitation, without uncertainty and without fear of rejection.  Each prayer will be heard, each prayer will be answered.   No request will be disregarded and perhaps now or in a little while or sometime in the future I will see the answer and rejoice.   But wait……I can rejoice right now, because when the answer does come, it will not be my will but God’s Will, and it will be the perfectly right answer, and I could want nothing else.
     Following Jesus Christ’s example in His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, I will say “nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” 
 
     Remember: Pray when you feel like it, because it would be a shame to miss that opportunity.  Pray when you don’t feel like it, because that’s when you really need it!
 
Theme: The Better Way: Praying is Good, Praying for God’s Will is Better
 

About Gail Slawson

I am a 74 year old wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. After 54 years of marriage, my husband and I have been richly blessed with 4 wonderful children and their wonderful mates and 19 precious grandchildren, five of whom are already with the Lord and 5 great-grandchildren. My husband and I are busy retirees and reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where we serve the Lord Jesus Christ through Bible Studies, as mentors in our church and telling others about Him "as we go." Mark 16:15
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