Chapter 13 - Prayer Grammar
In this chapter, Yancey explores different styles of praying. He begins with Prayers of the Bible: The Lord's Prayer, the Psalms, the prayers of Paul, and various others. He writes that "studying the Bible affords a glimpse of the broad sweep of God's actions in history. It gets my own life off center stage...I learn that I am not the only one who has wrestled with God or who has endured a time of wilderness and testing."
I think that was one of the most important statements in this chapter. Our perspective will truly shape our prayers. If we place too high a value on ourselves, on life treating us fairly or on getting what we want out of life, our prayers will reflect our self-absorption. If we are thankful, our prayers of thanksgiving will flow from us, above and beyond our petitions. When we genuinely confront our sinful nature and the selfish motives of our hearts, we will pray prayers of repentance. We will ask for help to be what He calls us to be instead of getting what we think will make us happy. When we comprehend our desperate need of a Savior, we will be humbled and awed by His sacrificial love for us.
"Amazing love, how can it be,
that you, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love, I know it's true.
And it's my joy to honor You.
In all I do, I honor You."
The words of that song popped into my mind as I was writing this because they reflect a position and a perpsective. My joy in life should always be to honor and glorify my King. If I comprehend what Jesus has done for me, life will no longer center on me and my wants. I will live in gratitude for His amazing love. That doesn't mean I won't have wants and needs. And I don't mean to suggest that it's wrong to ask God for the desires of our hearts. I would be contradicting scripture to suggest that. But if what we want out of life is more important to us than honoring Him with our lives, we won't seek His will. We will seek our own.
During some of the most difficult times in my life, I can remember looking around at all the other cars on the roads while driving and thinking, "Inside every car is a story. As far as my eyes can see, there are people all around me who are hurting, who have been wounded and disappointed by life, people who have been abandoned or betrayed or just haven't mattered to the most important people in their lives. And ever since the beginning of time, the human stories of hurt and conflict and rivalry have been the same. Just different people experiencing the same wounds." Solomon described it as "nothing new under the sun." My words are "One hundred years from now: same problems, different people." I specifically remember putting my own pain into perspective this way during the holidays one year when I was grieving my own disappointments and wounds.
No matter how perfect anyone else's life looks to you, I promise there is some kind of pain or fear beyond your view that they are struggling with. Every person that annoys you in some way with their behavior probably has a deep wound that led to the way they interact with others. Most often it is a way of overcompensating for insecurity and the fear of vulnerability. Jesus came to restore us to God and transform our broken lives and hearts.
There is a quote I have seen several times and don't know where it came from. It says "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." I love that quote. It is my prayer that God will help me to look at others with that thought always in the front of my mind. Especially at this time of year when so many people are feeling alone and sad, instead of joyous and glad.
God has brought so much deliverance to my life in recent years. I have been set free from so much bondage and have come to know the gospel in a way I never understood, even though I grew up going to church. I want my life and my choices to shout my gratitude to God for His amazing love and mercy to me. I truly do not feel deserving of His goodness or kindness. I am a speck of dust and for some reason He loves me. And that perspective helps me to love others, even those who have hurt or disappointed me. Because I know I have hurt and disappointed God so many times.
I think that was one of the most important statements in this chapter. Our perspective will truly shape our prayers. If we place too high a value on ourselves, on life treating us fairly or on getting what we want out of life, our prayers will reflect our self-absorption. If we are thankful, our prayers of thanksgiving will flow from us, above and beyond our petitions. When we genuinely confront our sinful nature and the selfish motives of our hearts, we will pray prayers of repentance. We will ask for help to be what He calls us to be instead of getting what we think will make us happy. When we comprehend our desperate need of a Savior, we will be humbled and awed by His sacrificial love for us.
"Amazing love, how can it be,
that you, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love, I know it's true.
And it's my joy to honor You.
In all I do, I honor You."
The words of that song popped into my mind as I was writing this because they reflect a position and a perpsective. My joy in life should always be to honor and glorify my King. If I comprehend what Jesus has done for me, life will no longer center on me and my wants. I will live in gratitude for His amazing love. That doesn't mean I won't have wants and needs. And I don't mean to suggest that it's wrong to ask God for the desires of our hearts. I would be contradicting scripture to suggest that. But if what we want out of life is more important to us than honoring Him with our lives, we won't seek His will. We will seek our own.
During some of the most difficult times in my life, I can remember looking around at all the other cars on the roads while driving and thinking, "Inside every car is a story. As far as my eyes can see, there are people all around me who are hurting, who have been wounded and disappointed by life, people who have been abandoned or betrayed or just haven't mattered to the most important people in their lives. And ever since the beginning of time, the human stories of hurt and conflict and rivalry have been the same. Just different people experiencing the same wounds." Solomon described it as "nothing new under the sun." My words are "One hundred years from now: same problems, different people." I specifically remember putting my own pain into perspective this way during the holidays one year when I was grieving my own disappointments and wounds.
No matter how perfect anyone else's life looks to you, I promise there is some kind of pain or fear beyond your view that they are struggling with. Every person that annoys you in some way with their behavior probably has a deep wound that led to the way they interact with others. Most often it is a way of overcompensating for insecurity and the fear of vulnerability. Jesus came to restore us to God and transform our broken lives and hearts.
There is a quote I have seen several times and don't know where it came from. It says "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." I love that quote. It is my prayer that God will help me to look at others with that thought always in the front of my mind. Especially at this time of year when so many people are feeling alone and sad, instead of joyous and glad.
God has brought so much deliverance to my life in recent years. I have been set free from so much bondage and have come to know the gospel in a way I never understood, even though I grew up going to church. I want my life and my choices to shout my gratitude to God for His amazing love and mercy to me. I truly do not feel deserving of His goodness or kindness. I am a speck of dust and for some reason He loves me. And that perspective helps me to love others, even those who have hurt or disappointed me. Because I know I have hurt and disappointed God so many times.
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