When we come together to worship, we usually have at least six prayers said on behalf of the congregation for whatever part of the worship we might find ourselves in. Oftentimes a prayer is also said on behalf of the preacher and the sermon he will soon deliver and along with that we often pray that he will have a ready recollection and that God will strengthen him. At least in my case, I suppose the ready recollection is a prayer that my brain will continue to function normally allowing me to think, which is a prayer I desperately need! Can this prayer become a prayer we don’t mean though?
If we pray for this, that the message of God would be preached in strength, but refuse to apply it to ourselves, is it not a vain prayer? Why would we pray, or pray with the one praying, for the preacher to teach in strength, and that he might be able to effectively teach if we don’t plan on paying attention or applying what is taught to our lives? If we pray for the message to be carried out, we admit its importance, yet if we do not take heed to it our actions treat the Gospel as unnecessary to life.
What we pray for is important, but it is just as important to make sure we practice that which we pray. If our prayers are from the heart, we will give true diligence to fulfill the petitions we take before the Lord.
-Carl Jenkins 02/27/2011
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