Today is the 16th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 17Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (John 11:17-22 ESV)
Jesus’ reputation as a person of powerful prayer precedes his arrival at Bethany. Martha has witnessed enough of Jesus’ prayers or heard enough about Jesus’ prayers that she has no doubt–if this man prays for her brother to rise from the dead, then her brother will rise from the dead! Martha has a prayer-request that tops all prayer-requests: rescue Lazarus from death. And who does she bring the prayer request to? She brings it to Jesus.
Are you known by others as a person of powerful prayer? If someone in your circle of influence had a unusually challenging prayer request, would they bring it to you? Why? Why not?
(NOTE: this series pauses on Sundays; spend this day reflecting on lessons learned during the previous six days).
SHARE WITH READERS BELOW A PERSON TO WHOM YOU HAVE BROUGHT CHALLENGING PRAYER REQUESTS AND WHY YOU ENTRUSTED THEM WITH SUCH REQUESTS.
[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cawilliams/3751306646/]
Are you known by others as a person of powerful prayer? If someone in your circle of influence had a unusually challenging prayer request, would they bring it to you? Why? Why not?
I am THE person of prayer where I work. But I can’t say I am know by others as a person of POWERFUL prayer. Yet I do have some that place their confidence in my abilities simply because I am THE “pastor.”
There’s a fine line here anyway. I believe I should not seek to have a reputation as one whose prayers are powerful inasmuch as they bring glory to God and NOT to myself. I cannot flip a switch and get God to do my bididng. I honestly lack the wisdom to know just exactly what to pray for in every circumstance I face, yet in my faithfulness, despite my human-ness, I still pray. I believe that’s all God really asks of us anyway. Doing it more often, well…now… that’s the rub
Comments are closed.