"There are two ways to live your life.One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle."
~ Albert Einstein
Praying for a Miracle
"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."
~ John 14:13; 15:7 (NKJV)
"... because your heart was tender ... and you humbled yourself before Me ... I also have heard you," says the LORD.
~ 2 Chronicles 34:27 (NKJV)
Webster's defines a miracle as "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs."
Miracles are everywhere. Some of the best fun in life is glimpsing God perform them. I like to pray in such a way that the Lord is most likely to work a miracle. I don't believe our Lord is manipulated, nor that He acts according to ritual or formula. But He does act according to certain principles. Among them are His will, the Father's glory, and the condition of our hearts.
When praying, a primary consideration is what the Bible reveals about God's nature, and to what request He is most likely to say 'yes' because it is consistent with His character—that is, consistent with His name. To pray "in His name" is not to tack those words to the end of prayer, but to consider how prayer might honor His name and will.
Jesus' will is to glorify His Father. Another consideration for prayer is how a request might be presented so that the answer will be attributed directly to God, and He might be thanked. When Jesus performed miracles, people recognized healing as a gift from divinity and frequently responded with worship. When prayers are so generic that we're unlikely to attribute an answer to the Lord, how likely are we to give thanks? When prayer is specific, the answer is more easily recognized as "divine intervention in human affairs"—and more likely to result in worship.
One cliché says, "Good morning, this is God—I do not need your help today." Phooey on that! The Father delights to include us in His work! Loving service and obedience cooperate with Him. So does no more than our willingness to humbly and persistently engage Him in prayer. As Tom Wright says, "I pray because God always intended to bring humans in on the act without letting them get proud in the process."
Fellowship with divinity is one reason I'm hooked on prayer. Witnessing miracles is another.
Are there any miracles you'd like to see in your life?
Lord Jesus, please draw us to abide in You that our hearts might know the Father through Your Word. Holy Spirit, please help us to pray as we ought. Father God, please engage us in Your work, that we might bring You the glory of which You are so very worthy.
Your feedback is appreciated. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
#prayer
Image source: sodahead.com
I truly believe in miracles sis. I am patiently waiting on miracles for my dear husbands health.
ReplyDeleteI like this. Much truth here, as always, Anne.
ReplyDeleteWhen I pray, I automatically praise God in advance, with certainty that He hears and answers. When I pray, I also tell God that we will glorify His name and draw attention to what HE has done. This is a great reminder for me -- to give God the glory.
Great, great post.
I like the Albert Einstein's quote above! Sometimes we are so entwined with the world's environment that our eyes never see beyond the natural! Tks, Anne for a powerful post, again!
ReplyDeleteChuck Missler says, "God puts desires in our hearts to get us on board with His plan." I love that.
ReplyDeleteYour whole post makes me love Him even more.
from small to big, every day is full of God's miracles... we just have to open our eyes
ReplyDeleteGreat post Anne. Miracles, answers to prayer, have bolstered my faith tremendously in the past.
ReplyDeleteConcerning prayer, I have this strange habit of praying for things that have already happened. My rational is that God is not bound by time, and welcomes our participation in events that have transpired.
Prayers to you and your family ... :-)
This is my favorite blog look you've had so far. Wonderful picture!
ReplyDeleteAs far as miracles go, in my father's passing God answered many small miracles each day. It bolstered my faith during a devastating time.
God is very much alive.
I love you,
Wendy
Love the picture with Einstein's quote. Glad I stopped in this morning.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Jeff
"The Father delights to include us in His work!" I love that and isn't it so true. I'm not to crazy about that phrase ~ "It's not about you" either, for as you pointed out the Father includes us.
ReplyDeletecan't leave a comment that makes any sense this morning. been studying and pondering abiding in Christ for a spell.
ReplyDeletethis post is like a school bell ringing. the Lord is ringing the bell. will just keep chewing.
Yes, there are several I would like to see ...
ReplyDeleteMy children and my students are miracles, every one. Life is so very precious, and I'm so grateful that God allws me to continue teaching. One cannot be around kids and music all day long and not recognize miracles.
ReplyDeleteThat said, this upcoming Holy Week I hope to pray with intention every day--focused attention. I too often talk to God in fragments and praises and sighs and sobs. Not often enough in conversation. I'm working on it, though.
Denise ~ Even as I pray for you and lovebug to have strength (among other things), I pray that the Spirit reveals His will—and how you do glorify Him.
ReplyDeleteJennifer ~ I'm glad you highlighted giving thanks in advance. I feel it's rude to come before the King and ask without first praising and thanking for what He's already done. I try to keep these posts from getting too long, and am grateful when they're fleshed out in the comments.
Bible Lover ~ The eyes of faith must always look for the unseen. His miracles are usually more obvious than that. We're just distracted I think.
T ~ Aww! You made my day! I continually pray that what I write here will do exactly that: draw others closer to God, and to His Word.
Natasa ~ You're right. The size of miracle doesn't have to make it more obvious when our eyes (and hearts!) are alert.
Russell ~ You make me think way too hard! I'll have to roll that thought around. And thanks for doing that.
Wendy ~ I do think the Lord knows when we most need those miracles. And thanks for the kudos. That photo is courtesy of Kelly Langer Sauer. She is one awesome photographer.
Jeff ~ I have that photo and quote sitting on my writing desk. It reminds me of miracles on bad days when I forget to look.
Patty ~ I never cease to be amazed that He loves us and shows us the esteem He does. He really is a good Papa!
Bud ~ Good. : )
Susan ~ I pray for you in this moment that the Lord will reveal to you how to pray and how to see Him at work in those situations. I love you, dear!
Gwen ~ I think in the Spirit, "fragments and praises and sighs and sobs" are conversation. What matters is that it's all direted toward Him.
Annie, I don't really agree with the quote from Albert Einstein. Everything is not a miracle simply by Webster's definition of the word. I actually tend to think that the word is used too loosely, which makes us lose sight of its true meaning.
ReplyDeleteI like to save "miracle" for the places where God has truly intervened in truly miraculous ways. While He is truly amazing, I would not say that "everything" that is good in my life is "miraculous". Does this make sense? I just don't ever want to take away from the miracles He does perform.
Sorry, one more thought. I think of miracles as things in our life that cannot possibly be explained any other way other than God's miraculous intervention.
ReplyDeleteMary ~
ReplyDeleteFirst, we seem to agreet that Einstein was referring only to good things, which automatically limits the discussion.
Second, I understand why you'd like to save "miracle" for the times that only God's intervention can explain what has occurred. One the one hand, it's like saying "I love you" so often that it comes out the same as "Hihowareyou" and cheapens the words. On the other hand, I think God really does work miracles in the small ways. When I get three green lights in a row on streets where that just doesn't happen, I tend to notice and thank Him. Is He less honored than if I thanked Him for sending me a $670 check in the mail on the day I need $670? Perhaps I'll tell a lot more people about the check, but I choose to call three green lights a miracle because it qualifies as "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs"—and it is opportunity to acknowledge His intervention. I genuinely want to see how truly extraordinary it is for divinity to care about the little stuff in my puny life at all, and give Him honor for it.
Which is exactly what you're also doing. I know how much you seek to glorify the Lord, usually under far more trying circumstances than what I endure. So perhaps you best glorify Him by using the word "miracle" sparingly, just as I hope to glorify Him by using it profuesely.
How I love you, Mary! I'm blessed that you took time to comment. I welcome opportunities to look at contrasting perspectives.
Hmmmm...Why do I feel like a school girl being corrected? I know that is not your intention but true all the same. I think you didn't understand completely (probably because I'm not expressing myself as well as I could), but I think enough has been said. Despite the feeling, I love you too!
ReplyDeleteMary, my bad. I was trying to reconcile the two viewpoints, because I do see yours.
ReplyDeletesorry ...♥