Prayers

Prayers in 4 Ps

by jay supetran
07/28/18
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The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. - James 5:16 (b)

People cannot claim they are Christians if prayer is absent in their priorities. Prayer is our connection to God, and less prayer means less communication with Him.  Our spiritual life will only grow if we have an active communication line with God. In our short-attention span and fast-changing time, prayer is the most effective means to de-stress. We can cast our burdens to God and not be anxious.

Last week, I hosted a team of Nepali development workers to an educational trip to the Philippines and Myanmar.  We arrived in the Philippines at the onset of the monsoon season and three typhoons have already passed with one poised to enter the country.   I prayed hard that we will not be affected by the rain and the floods that would ensue.  I felt great because there were heavy downpours while we were travelling, but when we arrive to our destinations, the rains stopped or just becomes drizzles. We were able to visit all the places we have arranged without being drenched!

The text emphasized that with the right heart, our prayers will be effective.  We should develop the attitude of praying and not pray only when we face challenges. Paul stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we should, ‘Pray without ceasing.’

I start my day with prayer and over time have developed a way of expressing myself to God which I call  Prayers in 4Ps:

Praise. One of the best ways to see how God worked in our life is to count our blessings. The first things in my prayer list   are praise items.  It may be an unexpected blessing, a lesson learned, a new friend or anything to be thankful.

Penance. Confessing our sins to God allows us to recognize our faults, receive mercy from God and change for the better. I try to remember   negative things I have done - a nasty word to a person I hate, a negative thought on somebody, feeling of pride and other negative deeds and thoughts. Doing this everyday allows me to chip off bad habits and become a better person.

Petition. I ask God for favour.  Coming to the presence of the Father and asking for the desire of my heart follows after I have cleansed myself.   Request for protection and provision, seeking intervention for other people and guidance for proper decisions are among the petitions I make every day.  This dependence on God enables me not to worry of what will happen because I am assured.

People. Finally, I pray for other people. I have a list of people I pray for, from members of my family, people in my workplace, people in the church, political leaders and others. It is heart-warming to see how God is working in the lives of the people I pray for.   

The assurance that God answers our prayer is best expressed by the Psalmist, ‘I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears’ (Psalm 34:4).