Devotional 3-15-08

Quality Time
It’s a Saturday morning at the home improvement store. A little girl’s hair bounces as she power-walks behind her mother through the aisle of household supplies. “Is this it Mommy?” she asks, holding up an item. The mother stops and the two share an intimate discussion. In the plumbing section a small boy picks up a fitting. “What’s this, Daddy?” The father stops to explain, as a look of admiration lights up the little face—(“My Daddy’s the smartest man in the world.”)

To the parents, it’s just a trip to the store; for the children, though, it’s an odyssey—shared one-on-one time! In modern parlance, we call it “quality time.”

Christians have an unlimited opportunity for quality time—sometimes neglected—one-on-one communication with our Heavenly Father. It’s called prayer! On the Christian calendar, the Nativity and the Ascension form the bookends of our faith; they are bolstered by a foundation of prayer.

Prayer is powerful! This is amply demonstrated in both the Old and New Testaments. The circumstances differ and the results vary.

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with an angel until daybreak. Could it be that a tortured conscience caused him to beseech God’s forgiveness for stealing his brother’s birthright? In the morning, Jacob said “I have seen God face to face.” Later that day Esau and he had a joyous, tearful reunion.

In the 16th Chapter of Judges, strongman Samson betrayed God’s trust by revealing to Delilah the source of his strength. As a result of his disobedience, he lost not only his strength, but also his eyesight and his freedom…he was turned over to the Philistines and chained to a pillar in the Temple of Dagon where he was mocked and reviled. A remorseful Samson pleaded with God to restore his strength that he might destroy his enemies. God heard his cry! Samson pulled the temple down, killing the Philistines and perishing with them.

A compelling prayer of love and steadfastness is found in Job 1:21. In the midst of his misery, Job falls to the ground and worships God, “The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

In John 6, Jesus was speaking to a multitude of 5000 who were hungry. As no food was available to feed them, a boy offered up his 5 loaves and two fish. Jesus took them and gave thanks for them…behold, twelve baskets of food remained when everyone had been fed.

In Luke 11, at Peter’s request, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. It became a model prayer for believers of all generations.

In Luke 23, during his crucifixion, Jesus had compassion on his captors. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (V. 34).

On the previous evening, Matthew 26: 39 records that at the Mount of Olives Jesus had prayed that the “cup pass from me” but in the end said “nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

This reminds us that prayer is much more than a shopping list! Earnest prayer enables us to grow closer to God and better understand His will for our lives—sometimes being led in directions we would prefer not to go.

Perhaps we should again ask ourselves—in our daily agenda of priorities is prayer (quality time with God) our first….second….third….?

Anonymous