“And he said, ‘I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.'” Genesis 32:26
Dear Ones:
What is prayer but the expression of the heart towards God, whether to bless His name, or to petition Him for His blessing? It is first and foremost the great expression of worship, that attributing of worth, praise, and exaltation, that belongs to God as Creator and Redeemer. Then it is that consequent cry, plea of the heart to God, on the basis of His mercy and grace, to receive from God that which is good, holy, and life-giving. On the one hand, it is that outpouring of love for God, emanating from a believing heart. On the other, it is a means of receiving from God all that He desires to give, in order for His kingdom to come, and His will to be done. Prayer is thus, communion with God, according to the truth, and by the Spirit. How then can we pray, and for what? We have only to go to the Psalms to discover what the true worship of God is, that deliberate declaration of His greatness, beauty, and holiness, and of His mercy and grace, which are not only new every morning, but everlasting. It is in the act of worship, exalting God, and extolling Him for who He is, and what He has done in and through Christ, that the soul of man begins to learn the blessing of prayer. But what about receiving from God? How can we sure to receive that which is so vital to the soul and life, as bread is so necessary on a daily basis?
In looking down the corridor of time, through the ages past, we discover how others have prayed, God answering their prayers. We begin with Moses, who would put his prayer in the form of a Psalm. He prayed that God would “satisfy” him, and others, with His mercy, so that everyone would BE glad. (Psalm 90) He goes on to ask God to reveal to His servants, the work of God, and His glory, to their children. He does not stop until he asks that the beauty of the Lord be upon all concerned. And finally, he prays, that God would establish the work of “our” hands. These are specific requests which conform to seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
In the first book of Chronicles, we find a man named Jabez, who was “…more honorable than his brethren.” (4:9) He called upon the God of Israel, requesting the following: 1. “Bless me indeed, and enlarge my coasts.” 2. “That Thy hand be upon me, and that Thou wouldst keep me from evil, that I may not grieve me!” (v.10) Did these requests please God? Scripture gives us the answer: “And God granted him that which he requested.”
In the book of Micah, though it is not a prayer, we do discover in one verse that which pleases God, that which He will honor, that for which we should pray. Micah writes: “He (God) hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” To do justly implies an acquisition of the knowledge of the truth, by study, and prayer, in order to apply it in our relationship with God and with men. Secondly, we are to love mercy. The mercy of God is everlasting. It also goes beyond what we could naturally grasp. It is as we pray for His mercy, that we become merciful. And lastly, we are to walk humbly before, and with, God. It is in worshipful submission and faith, service and communion, that we are to walk with God. These are things which please Him, for which we should ask with confidence and receive.
It was Jacob, who when in the will of God, was brought face to face with a circumstance that was beyond his ability to face. His words to the Lord were, “I will not let you go, except You bless me.” God answered his heart’s cry.
Dear Father, Teach us to pray as others, believing and receiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad