December 2-3 – The key

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” - 1 John 5:14

I always feel that I've been especially blessed that I was born and raised by Christian parents, as many of you were. During the nine months of my mother's pregnancy, all I heard was the sound of praise and prayer. The church was “between buildings” at the time of my birth, and were using my mother's sitting-room each Sabbath for church services. As Divine Service progressed downstairs, I came into the world upstairs. I often teased mum by asking what they were singing. Was it 'The Battle Now is Raging'? or was it 'Fight the Good Fight'?

Yes, as I grew though childhood into teenage years, and there were times when I thought the grass on the other side looked greener – especially when I had to turn down invitations I would dearly have loved to accept. Somehow though, whenever I was tempted to 'go, just one time,' something held me back. I was later to find that it was down to my mother. By that I mean the way she always prayed for me. Somehow mum always seemed to know when something was afoot, and I would be stopped in my tracks.

I wondered about this until she shared her secret. "I always pray that you won't be successful if you're tempted to go astray. I ask God to stop you before you make a bad decision.” I'm pleased to say that mum's prayers were heard and successful. As an adult, I am so grateful now. Her prayers kept me safe and secure.

God wants us to relax and enjoy our lives, to have friends and accept invitations. As we make our spiritual journey through life, it should be wonderful and enjoyable. In fact, here's what his Word says in Jude 24: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy..."

I'm not suggesting that we take our spiritual walk lightly or that we have a laissez-faire or cavalier attitude about God. I am suggesting however, that we remember that when Jesus was on earth He had friends, He accepted invitations, He relaxed. God wants the same for us.

The key is prayer.  With the prayers of those who love us we will be kept from stumbling, and God wants us to trust Him to do the job. We may want to micro-manage things but the truth is we won't do as good a job as He does. Also, we won't be able to relax and enjoy the abundance He has given us if we worry and take our spiritual safety and progress into our own hands.

Consider the scripture from Jude an invitation to trust the Saviour in new ways, He'll handle the details. You can relax; the rest is on Him.

So, parents out there – continue to pray constantly for your children, or spouse – be like Hosea in the Old Testament who prayed for his wayward wife: "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths." (Hosea 2:6)

They will thank you later. For now, if they are tempted to go astray, let them only find thorns and walls in their path.

Music for today is  "I'll Pray for You" (LIVE)     Click on the picture to listen.