Thoughts for another day

Jan. 10, 2013.

Today's verse: Rom. 4:19, 20.And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Some days back, while walking to the Prayer Room of our Parish, I saw a woman handing a paper with some prayer written on it to another woman and I heard her tell that woman, ‘say this prayer; it’s very powerful.’  I kept walking and thinking – what’s so powerful about what was written on that paper that that woman said, this is a powerful prayer; and I also thought, what if I read out what was written when I’m dead tired, not giving a shred of attention to what I was reading, does it still make it powerful?

Maybe you can answer and I know you know the answer well; and let me also say, although we know the answer well, we still take recourse to the same thing: blindly blurting out something written on a paper which someone says is powerful prayer without even pausing to think that it’s not skillful words that make a prayer powerful, but it’s your own heart in the words you utter that make your prayer ‘powerful’ and mind you, prayer can never be ‘powerful’ but ‘effective’ for mere words from humans aren’t able to appropriate from God His power in His choice blessings but rather your faith in the words you utter that move His heart. 

Abraham’s faith in God is a classic example of the depth and intensity of man’s faith in God.   Our Scripture today gives sufficient insight into the faith that Abraham had which is what moved God’s hand so powerfully in his life and I can envision how God’s heart was moved when Abraham spoke to Him, even when he sadly said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”  Imagine how God would’ve been touched by this prayer. My friend, it’s not some given words that moves God, rather it’s that deep inner voice of the soul, even without the use of the mouth, that reaches out to God, darting through the darkest clouds into the heavens that can lay bare the mighty arm of God for you.  Crave this and you will live.