Devotionals

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"He who hesitates is lost" -- he's also many miles from the nearest
exit.

In response to my request for prayer for Jessica on Thurday night,
one person responded by asking "was I praying for total healing or
for God's will?"

There are times when Christians in difficult circumstances simply
pray that God's will be done. For me, there is a fine line between
that being a copout for lack of faith and total resignation to God.
God's will will be done no matter what. Doing His will is His
prerogative -- He doesn't need our advice or consent. We are
instructed to pray for the real desires of our heart. In Jesus' own
words (Matt 21:22), "and all things, whatsoever you shall ask in
prayer, believing, you shall receive." We just need to be sure that
we are not using the "His will" phrase as an excuse for not having
faith.

I know the Lord's Prayer says, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven." That's an overall blanket acknowledgement of the
sovereignty of God. I'm talking about specific prayers for specific
situations. If Betty were desperately ill, I'd plead with God for
healing until my throat was sore, but I would also accept whatever
He chose. Healing or not is His choice, but my desire is for
healing, and that's the way I'd pray.

Perhaps we should think afresh and question some of our habits,
sayings and practices in our churches and ask, "Is this really valid,"
or is this something we do or say just because it was an old custom
or cliché handed down to us and we've always done it? Do our
habits really jibe with Scripture or are they purely man made? Can
we back up our statements and practices unequivocally with God's
Word? The dying gasp of the church is, "But we've always done it
this way." Don't let your church gasp! Think!

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