3 or 4 years ago I was attending a regular prayer meeting at my church during the summer months at home. During that time, one of the things I heard from the Lord most clearly was this:
‘When you pray for someone, appeal to me on the basis of My nature – not theirs’
I came across this reminder while reading through a sermon on prayer that I wrote 2 or 3 years ago. I really needed to be reminded of that, although of course it sounds so obvious!
When we pray we're told to pray in Jesus' name. The dictionary says… ‘in the name of’ = for the sake of. So, basically it's for Jesus’ sake that we receive what we ask for, not our own! As it's been said, instead of pleading our case on our own merits (or anyone else's) we’re advised to throw ourselves on the mercy of the court.
‘hear me, not for my own sake, or the sake of my prayer and not even because of my distress, for it is a result of my own sinfulness – but hear me for Jesus’ sake,’ prays Hallesbury.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
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Later thoughts:
God defending his name in OT:
Ezekiel 36:22, "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went."
I guess it's a slightly different idea.
Praying - hmmmm yes that's right.
the 'name' of the Lord has some pretty big connotations.
Ezekial- he says much the same to Moses aboutthe Israelites.
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