Let's close this week with a quote from Pastor Benji (made during the first service this past Sunday): "The things that are valuable to you, you pray about those things."
For some of us, this is a strong indictment. Why? Because our prayers are not generated from a heart of love and submission to the Spirit of the LORD. Instead, our prayers are generated from a heart of selfishness and a desire for self-preservation. We are faced with the example of Mary Magdalene, with her "retirement fund" of one jar of pure nard poured out on Jesus, and we cringe.
So, what is of value? Well, what do you pray about? Paul in prison writes a letter: not a plea for his release, but an expression of joy at the surpassing greatness of God; an expression of the wonder of His amazing love; an expression of hope and expectation to become more and more like Him. Paul's prayer? "Oh, my friends and loved ones, I long for you to be strengthened with the power of Christ!" "I wish you would really know what it means when you sing 'how great is our God'!" "How I long for you to experience the fullness of His Spirit!"
Friends, some of us are stuck in the rut indicated by the title of today's blog. Today is a good day to abandon the prayers of self-preservation, and embrace the prayers of Spirit-revelation.
See you next week!
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