Focus on Prayer

Whether it be so heavy that others cannot bear
To know the heavy burden they cannot come and share;
Whether it be so tiny that others cannot see
Why it should be a burden, and seem so real to me,
Either and both I lay them down at the Master’s feet
And find them alone with Jesus mysteriously sweet.

– Rosalind Goforth

Now, go read that again.

When we take our burden, no matter how big or small, to Jesus…. We find the burden sweet.

Why? How can something so painful and heavy and sometimes even horrible, become sweet?

Because we are alone with Jesus.

No wonder we have to go through so many trials. Jesus longs to be near us. To lift our cares and our worries. And most of the time, the only way He can do that is when we carry something so heavy that we are driven to Him for relief.

“I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication.” Psalm 116:1

In February, we were part of a revival meeting. It changed my prayer life. It changed me. And I want to share some of the ways God has answered our prayers since then.

The preacher encouraged us to make a prayer list and pray 3x a day, faithfully and consistently. He told us if we did that for a month, we’d see results. We are on month 5.

I’m going to share some of our answers.

These aren’t all the things we’ve prayed for, but they are some of the main ones.

1. My father-in-law’s salvation

2. For our business to thrive; for wisdom in making the tough decisions

3. Healing for me

I can count on two hands the number of times my Father-in-law has come to church since I’ve been married.

But my mother-in-law started having some pretty serious health issues around the end of March. And once she was able to get back in church, he hasn’t missed a service with her. We all believe that the Lord is working in his heart.

We run our own business. When we first came back to help, there were months I just knew we weren’t going to make it. This April was our biggest month since then. And it hasn’t stopped. I don’t think there are words to tell you how busy we’ve been, but it’s been hard. We come home every single day completely worn out. But we remind ourselves, tired bodies are the fruit of having a thriving business. In the middle of a “pandemic”, no less.

I am still not healed. Over 5 years of praying. But there have been things I’ve been able to do in the last few months that I haven’t done in years. And when your worst days used to be stuck sitting as still as you possibly could and just surviving from day to day, that’s a pretty huge answer.

There are several other things that have been answered, things from just day to day living.

Prayer works. God works.

And we have witnessed that first hand since February when we committed to pray. We have seen Him move miraculously.

The sweetest times of my life have truly been when the burdens are too heavy to shoulder. And I’ve found rest in the secret place of prayer.

Matthew 6 is often called “The Lord’s Prayer” when actually it is the model prayer.

“How to have Prayer in the Secret Place”

Vs. 9 – Hallowed be thy name

Praise Him, thank Him for His blessings, worship Him for who He is. Lift His name.

Vs. 10a – Thy kingdom come

Pray for the Holy Spirit to search me, fill me. His kingdom comes through me.

Vs. 10b – Thy will be done

Surrender. Allow God’s will to be done in your life on Earth as He’d have it done in Heaven. Earth meets Heaven when we surrender.

Vs. 11 – Our daily bread

Ask God for daily, spiritual sustenance from His word.

Vs. 12 – Forgive us

Simply, I must get clean.

Vs. 13 – Deliver us

In every moment before temptation, God has already made a way of escape.

Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Psalm 55:17

SHALL!! He shall hear my voice. What a promise!

I know we are busy. We are stressed. We are pulled in so many different directions. Our to-do lists are miles long. But where is God on our to-do list?

Usually last. If He even makes it on there. What if we started at the end and put Him first?

Oh if we could grasp what an infinitely precious gift prayer is, we would not neglect it! It is a freedom and a privilege that cannot be taken away.

We can pray anytime.

Anywhere.

When we have words and when we don’t.

Out loud or silently.

With tears of joy or tears of pain.

All because Jesus made a way to the throne room.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

He knows what we will pray before our hearts bow or our knees bend.

And still He listens.

He wants to listen.

And He answers!!

When we pray – We find peace, praise, a promise and His presence.

He answered prayer: so sweetly that I stand

Amid the blessing of His wondrous hand

And marvel at the miracle I see,

The favours that his love hath wrought for me,

Pray on for the impossible, and dare

Upon the banner this brave motto bear,

‘My Father answers prayer’.

Will you commit to pray with me for a month? We CAN pray. But will we?

Words and Music by:
Faith York