She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 9

Prayer in the Bible Day 9: Prayers of Petition in Scripture

Day 9 Scripture: Psalm 56, Matthew 26:36-46, and Luke 18:1-8

Intimacy is what God wants from us and this intimacy extends all the way down to our asking (petitioning) for the things we want and need. God wants to share an intimate relationship with us a give and take of communication. Us asking and praising him and God answering our prayers and blessing us with an enjoyable life.

But we cannot spend our time in prayer constantly asking for this and that, please God don't let it rain, or please let me get this juice stain out of the carpet. We need to make sure that we are not taking advantage of our privilege to pray. The balance between longing and surrender, boldness and trust this is the way that Jesus prayed to God in Gethsemane (the mount of olives). A great example of how we should be petitioning the Almighty Lord.

From my journal:

Psalm 56:3 "But when I am afraid I will put my trust in you." David was so afraid but he continued to have faith, pray, and trust in God. He prayed for strength and for God to stand beside him. David never once prayed to be freed. That blows me away. Instead of praying "please God let me go, let me escape." His prayer of petition was for God to make him strong and that if it was God's will we would be a sacrifice. 

Matthew 26:39 & 42 "My Father! If it be possible this cup of suffering be taken away from me...If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done."
And Jesus knew that man had betrayed him and his death would shortly follow. Jesus' only prayers of petition was that he would do what God asked, even through his fear of dying, he only wanted to make sure that it was God's will. 

Luke 18:1 "they should always pray and never give up." If we truly need something whether physical or words of guidance we should cry out to God in prayers of petition. Even if we have to cry out day and night until we get an answer. God will not turn a deaf ear to us, he welcomes the intimate interaction and he will always answer us.

"The pleas of an honest heart following hard after God are music to His ears." - She Reads Truth