12.03.2009

Crying out of my soul

Recently I read a pray by John Wesley in "Becoming a Woman of Prayer" by Cynthia Heald that its been pivotal in prayer times.
Take the full possession of my heart, raise there your throne, and command there as you do in heaven. Being created by you, let me live to you. Being created for you, let me ever act for your glory. Being redeemed by you, let me render unto you what is yours and let my spirit ever cleave to you alone.
Often my prayers are about me, what it is that I want, what I need and what I think the people I care for need. But when I read prayers like this, I must stop and remember that prayer isn't just a task that gets me what I want when I want it and I shouldn't approach my time in prayer with an arrogant and demanding stance.

Through this bible study by Cynthia Heald, I've come to see how many prayers throughout the Bible especially Matthew 6:9-13, where Jesus modeled prayer for us, are focused on the Father rather than oneself.

So this morning as I picked up my daily reading in Jeremiah, I was struck once again by how passionately Jeremiah pours out his heart to the Lord. Jeremiah 12:1-4 shows him acknowledging who God is and yet pleading with God about how long His judgement will be on the people of Israel. In Jeremiah 20:7-18, you see that Jeremiah praise the Lord, share about the persecution he is receiving from his people and declare that we will always speak the words the Lord gives him. But what I have learned most so far from Jeremiah is how honest he is about his care for his people but keeps it focused on the Lords will for them. He understands that they have given themselves to other gods and longs to see Israel turn from their ways but Jeremiah is still willing to stand in the gap, pass along the words of the Lord and receive any push back that might come with it.

To me, Jeremiah is a wonderful example of someone who lives out John Wesley's prayer. The Lord has full possession of his heart and in turn Jeremiah lives for Him, acts for His glory, renders to Him what is already His and cleaves to Him alone.

Lord, remind me over and over that my life is not my own. I want you to have full possession of my heart. Impress upon me through the day that it is for You that I do my work and it is You alone that I cling to.