The Life that can Pray Lenten Meditation Number 8

I am challenged by the commitment to write a daily blog. This is good for me, since I have wanted to write for a long time.

This 8th meditation is a reminder about obedience.

We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

1John 3:21-22

God commands us to do some things. He expects us to do what he commands. We ought to expect to do what God is asking us to do.

In the book Love to Pray http://bit.ly/fddKG6 Alvin VanderGriend on page 28 says,

'Often when prayer fails and we receive no answers, we assume the problem is in God while in reality the problem really is in us.'..

I disagree with the phrase "when prayer fails" because I don't believe prayer can fail. I believe the honest phrases uttered from the lips of a person spoken from their heart to God is not going to fail. I believe" there is no failure in God" I contend that an individual petitioning God may not get everything they ask for or want. The answer to prayer can come in "the still small voice" or even in the wind. To say that prayer "fails" is to renounce the sovereign power of God.

I certainly agree in principle with the life that can pray.., This meditation focuses on obedience. I want the Lord to see me as obedient. I want to be an obedient steward over my blessings from God.

The reflection question in this lesson asks "what kids of things do you believe God is eager to give to those who obey his commands?"

My answer: I don't lay claim to any particular "things" from God. I believe God knows us individually and will grant his mercy based on what we need and what's best for us.

Prayer: Lord, I confess with my whole heart that I have failed miserably to do so much of what I should be doing. Please God, have mercy on me and let the word of Christ dwell in me richly to produce the obedience you desire. Amen.

Action: Pray the prayer that Paul prayed for the Colossian Christians.

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} ¹⁰ so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^{b]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-12