SATURDAY AFTER TRINITY 4
11 July Anno + Domini 2009
Peace Lutheran Camping Weekend Vespers
"When We Prayâ€
Matt. 6:5-14 (Isaiah 56:6-8)
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There are many Christians who spend their lives searching for that secret prayer formula that will invoke God to grant them earthly blessings. Christian bookstores have their shelves lined with books on prayer, written by those who believe that they've found the secret for which so many are looking. "If you'll just pray like this,†they say, "God will shower you with health, wealth, and prosperity.†They treat God as a heavenly ATM machine and claim to have the correct pin number that will unlock the riches of God's blessings. They're under the impression that if you say the right words in the right way, then, and only then, will God entertain your requests. And, the right words are words they've managed to figure out for themselves, moved by the "holy spirit,†of course. Somehow, someway, the Holy Spirit has miraculously chosen to reveal the secrets of prayer to these individuals, and if we would just listen to them, follow their methods, repeat their words, we would be just as blessed as they are. Of course, first you have to take that "leap of faith†and buy their books. Evidently, the Holy Spirit reveals the secrets of prayer only to them and requires that we purchase those secrets. And, of course, each and every one of these "powerful prayer books†comes with the same disclaimer: Success in using this prayer system is dependent upon the faith of the user. In other words, if you follow the methods prescribed, but do not experience the blessings for which you're hoping, it's not the fault of the "secret prayer gurus,†but means that your faith is lacking. One wonders how any Christian could ever get hooked into believing such utter nonsense.
But, as we heard from our Lord last Sunday, we should take care of removing the plank in our own eyes before trying to remove the speck in the eyes of our brothers. We have our own issues to confront regarding prayer, don't we?
From the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer in Luther's Small Catechism we know that when we pray the Our Father we "should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us.†That is what we believe, teach, and confess. We need not go looking for some secret prayer formula, for we have the perfect prayer given to us by our Lord to pray. Everything is covered in the Lord's Prayer. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't offer other prayers to our Father in heaven. It just means that we have this prayer our Lord gave us to pray, and, since He gave it to us to pray, we can't go wrong praying it. It teaches how to pray. It shows the right method. It gives us the right words. It flows into, and guides, all other prayers we offer up to the Father. It is the perfect prayer, and it is given to us for free.
But, still, even with this perfect prayer as our guide, we struggle in our prayer life, don't we? We don't pray as much as we ought, especially when things are going well for us. We tend to forget to approach our Lord in prayer to thank Him for all the blessings He bestows upon us. We often only turn to Him when times are tough. And that is when we often struggle the most with prayer, for when we cry out with our voice to the Lord, it sometimes seems as if He is not listening very well. We cry out for a need - a friend is in trouble or sick; we are in trouble or sick; another crisis pops up and enters our lives - and we wait and wait and wait for an answer. We grow impatient and begin to question the Lord: "Lord, I'm doing what you said in Your Word - I'm crying out to You with my voice, the voice You gave me! Why won't You answer me?†And still, the silence comes, and it is sometimes deafening, isn't it? And when it does become deafening - when the silence is so loud that we can't hear anything else - we are prone to grow even more impatient, and even angry, and we can begin to start doubting God's Word.
Repent. Repent of thinking that you need to scream at God in order for Him to hear you. His ears are working just fine. It's your faith and heart and sin that are the problem.
It is always good, right and salutary to call on the Lord for all things at all times. We are to "pray without ceasing,†and ask for everything that the Lord may desire to give us. But we also need to understand and recognize that the Lord is in charge, not us. He is always wanting to teach us something of the faith, and sometimes (far too often, it seems to our Old Adam) He delays His answer for our good. And, sometimes His answer is simply, "No.†He knows what we need. He knows what is good for us. He answers us in His time and in His way, for our own good.
Dear friends in Christ, do not be dismayed when the Lord doesn't seem to be hearing your prayers. Rest assured, He hears them, and He does answer them. In His time and in His way. For your good. He promises as much in His Word, and He is always faithful to His promises. You know that, for He promised long ago in the Garden to send us a Savior, One who would crush the devil's head and reconcile us to our heavenly Father once again. That Savior, Jesus Christ, has come and has fulfilled all that was promised. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, you are saved. Your sins have been completely taken care of on the cross; they are gone. And now, the same Savior who ascended into heaven stands before your heavenly Father as your Advocate, always pleading on your behalf. It is because of Jesus, your Crucified, Risen, and Ascended Lord, that the Father happily hears your prayers and answers them.
You need no secret prayer formula. You have the prayer given to you by Your Lord to pray. And, you have the gracious invitation to pray for all things at all times, to speak to the Almighty God of the universe, the Creator of all things, as a child speaks to his Father. And, even though the Father may not give you the answer you're seeking, know beyond a shadow of a doubt that His answer in spiritual matters is always a resounding, "Yes!†for Jesus' sake. Thus, does He continuously provide you with His Word and Sacraments in His Holy Church, that you may know that His will is always that you be, and remain, His beloved child and an heir to an eternity of blessings in His everlasting Kingdom.
Therefore, continue to call on the Lord in faith, knowing that He hears you for Jesus' sake. Then, wait in faith, knowing that His answer will come, one way or another. And, continue to visit with great regularity His Holy House of Prayer, where you are strengthened and preserved in the faith. There, you have your answer always readily available to you. It is, "Yes! I love you. You are Mine in Jesus. I will keep you Mine and bring you home to be with Me and all the saints and angels forever. You, My child, have blessings waiting for you that you cannot even begin to fathom right now. Continue to cling in faith to My promises. I am faithful. I will not let you down. You are safe in My arms!â€
Lord God, Heavenly Father, by Your Holy Spirit, grant us the faith to pray to You without ceasing, knowing that You hear and answer us always for our good, and to continue to cling to Your promises, which are everlasting. In Jesus' Holy and Precious Name. Amen.
Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, unto life everlasting. Amen.