God's open arms of grace

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Praying in the Wilderness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”
Luke 5:15–16

Prayer was a vital resource to Jesus—so important that He frequently drew apart from others in order to have time to spend with His Father in prayer. There were many occasions when He gave up sleep or eating in order to pray. More than once Jesus interrupted His ministry, leaving behind people who were wanting to see and hear Him and be healed, to go alone to pray. If Jesus needed time to pray, how much more important is it for us to spend time with Him in prayer?
The vital necessity of prayer is a reality that is far too often ignored in our day. Though we pay lip service to the power of prayer, the lack of time we spend in prayer reveals that we are not truly convinced that God will hear and answer when we call out to Him. As a result, we deprive ourselves of so much that God is able to give to us—and our work for Him suffers as a result. The poet and hymn writer William Cowper wrote:
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
The strength to overcome the obstacles we face, the power to triumph over temptation, and the resources—both physical and spiritual—to do God’s work are supplied through prayer. The strength we have in ourselves is far too little to meet the challenges we face. Each day should find us on our knees begging God to work in our lives. Only then will we be equipped to do great and mighty things for Him.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If we do not take the time to pray, we will lack the power and resources to do the work God places before us.

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And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. --Luke 15:20 Are you a broken-hearted parent today because of the choices your child has made? If so, I want to give you a message of encouragement, comfort, and counsel. Maybe you’ve done your very best as a parent and yet your children are not walking in truth. God gives every person a will of his own and you can’t force feed your faith to your children. Every person has a choice and we are not just victims of our culture or families. We choose to rebel because of the rebellious nature of the human heart. Now I know there is no greater pain than for a parent to see a child fail or fall. But don’t be eaten up with guilt or questions. You can’t change the past. All you can do is pledge to be the kind of parent God has called you to be today. I want to comfort you as well with the knowledge that God wants your child to return to Him even more than you do. The unconditional grace and love of God is illustrated In the parable of the prodigal son. When the lost son returns, the father runs to meet him, kisses him, and has a party in his honor. According to Luke 15:10, “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Here’s the bottom line. Parent, Jesus loves you and God is faithful. The Holy Spirit is working whether your see it or not. So, keep reading God’s Word, keep praying, and don’t give up. What your children need to see is that you are consistent in your faith and faithful in your prayers. Despite any past failures, commit to being the kind of parent god has called you to be today.