Spiritual Viewpoints

by Rick Smith

Prayer

I Want You Lord

By

Verses of Scripture can be like cool breezes blowing through the screen door on a hot summer day. Psalm 141 gives me that kind of comfort.

“O Lord, I call to you; come quickly to me.
Hear my voice when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the
evening sacrifice.”

I’m enthralled at the notion that God hears us when we speak to Him. He knows our voices. It may be for that reason that David says “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (v.3). Even that tells us what an awesome God we have. He will guard the thoughts of our hearts so that we will speak what is good, not evil.

That happens when our hearts reach out to Him, “Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies” (v.4).

Imagine your prayers going up to God as though they were a sweet fragrance. Our prayers go before the Lord like incense! They please Him. We make God happy!

Finally, there is the lifting of our hands in prayer, like little children reaching up with the anticipation of being held by a father. This act, to God, is as the evening sacrifice. “Dear Lord, I raise my hands in hopes that you will lift me up! Amen.”

What does God expect from His children? “But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge” (v. 8). That seems to be the answer. God wants us and wants us to want Him.

We can do that!

Getting In The Way Of Prayer

By

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (I Peter 3:7).

“It’s hard to be humble when you’re so good.” I know a few men that really think that way. They’re married to unhappy women. When a man treats his wife as though he is God’s gift to women ~ he isn’t. What kind of a lug-headed dimwit would treat the woman he loves like a slave? Do I see any hands?

Consideration is the first thing we must give our wives. Thoughtfulness, kindness, respect, tenderness, warmheartedness, compassion — all of these words illuminate consideration. Husbands need to be attentive to their wives’ needs. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus died for the church — too many husbands have an “undying” love for their wives. The truth is that our wives don’t need us to die for them — they need us to live for them. When chivalry goes out the window, you know consideration went before it. When the husband never opens his wife’s car door, never vacuums the floor, never takes out the trash, never does something thoughtful that shows his love — he needn’t bother to pray because God won’t hear you.

When men wonder why their prayers aren’t being answered, it may be that they are hindering them. God says to be considerate and treat wives with respect. Do it or don’t bother praying. If there were no other reason to treat wives with consideration and respect, keeping prayers from stopping at the ceiling would be good enough. Actually, it’s not good enough. God commands men to treat their wives with holiness, in the form of consideration and respect, recognizing them as having a feminine quality deserving of such dignified treatment. He wants husbands to be aware that wives are heirs with us of God’s gracious gift of life. If husbands ignore God on this — He will ignore our prayers. There, I said it again.

Husbands, we can bring God glory by lifting our wives up to Him in prayer. We can love our wives by the considerate words we speak and by our respectful attitudes. “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).

Like Little Children

By

It was at least fifteen years ago I sat in a circle with about 45 children from the Tree of Life Christian Elementary School, a ministry of our church. My daughter, Rachel, was the Principal and first grade teacher. At her request, I joined the children and teachers in prayer during our daily chapel time. Before I said the last prayer, each child had an opportunity to pray. I was amazed at the way children, from kindergarten through third grade, were in tune with God. Nearly all of them began their prayers with thanksgiving, “Thank you Lord for my teacher, my mommy and daddy, my goldfish, etc.” Other than asking the Lord to help them “be good”, there were very few requests for anything else, which is different from most adult prayers.

Sometimes I find myself teetering between superficial prayer and serious ones. If I’m in a hurry, I might do a quick “thank you” for a meal. I’m not saying that’s the thing to do, I’m just telling you how it is. During the daytime I pray with people in person, on the phone, or for them without their knowledge. But at times I’m so occupied with busy work that prayer takes a backseat. Finally, at night when my wife and I pray together, we have serious prayers.

Listening to the prayers of these school children reminded me of an occasion when Jesus scolded his disciples. “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them” (Matthew 19:13). It seems the apostles didn’t have time for this prayer stuff either. But, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these'” (v. 14). Find opportunity to listen to a child pray. Be sure to pray with your own children ~ teach them ~ or learn from them how to pray. Both they and you will be blessed!

Lord, Jesus, thank you for little children. I want to be like them. I want a heart that expresses my joy and thankfulness for being your child. I love you, Lord. Because of Jesus. Amen.