Years
ago, we attended a funeral visitation for the father of a friend of ours in a
Sunday School class. The deceased had had his “three score and ten” plus some
extra years, and this was less a sad occasion than more of a recognition that a
life well lived had ended, and a soul was now in heaven.
Draped
across the open coffin was a narrow scroll of paper. It was one of the things
the man was known for – his prayer list. If your name or request was on
thatlist, you knew he was praying for you.
The
list was over 12 feet long.
I
suspect my friend’s father was one wealthy man.
Led
by Tim Challies at Informing the Reforming,
we’ve been reading David McIntyre’s The
Hidden Life of Prayer: The Life Blood of the Christian. Today we finish
the book with the final two chapters – on the riches of prayer and the reality of
prayers being answered.
McIntyre
cites three specific “riches” – what today we would call benefits – of prayer.
A
continuous and regular prayer life leads to “a singular serenity of spirit.”
A
life of prayer means we will be ruling our lives according to God’s will.
And
a life of prayer will result in us having “a richer influence and a wider
usefulness.”
Those
are the “riches” that your time in the hidden room of prayer will lead to. They’re
certainly not riches as defined by the world, even though most of us would
crave a serenity of spirit and even desire influence and usefulness, regardless
of whether we’re Christians or not. The world would find it alien and rather
bizarre, however, to achieve those things through prayer.
And
it does seem contradictory. By praying alone in a “hidden room,” you will
increase your influence and usefulness?
McIntyre
answers yes – and it’s because prayer places the believer in the correct
position and relationship to his or her creator.
He
indirectly adds a fourth source of “riches” in the final chapter – important things
not only happen because of prayer, they simply won’t happen without prayer: “…every
gracious work which has been accomplished within the Kingdom of God has been
begun, fostered and consummated by prayer.”
I
think back to that funeral service, and the 12-foot-long prayer list, and I
know the man died a wealthy man indeed.
To
see the discussion on these final two chapters, please visit Tim Challies at Informing the Reforming.
5 comments:
I can imagine how moving that must have been to have seen a personal prayer list 12 feet long.
As usual, great post, sir Glynn. Thanks for pointing out the magnitude of the seemingly simple.
I oftentimes pray whilst washing dishes -- something about scrubbing away the gunk and restoring the clean reminds me of my relationship with God. I don't know if it's "serene," but it works for me.
Blessings.
I especially enjoyed this.
ahh
more about
relationship...
cool.
a serenity of spirit...
amen.
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