Text: Psalm 56, Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 18:1-8
You have kept count of my tossings, put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?
Psalm 56:8, ESV
I’ll be honest. There is something about petitioning the Creator of the universe for my specific needs and desires that feels strange, formal and, well, kind of awkward. Perhaps this can be traced back to the “formulas” for prayer I learned as a girl, but more likely it is just a product of my ever-stubborn pride. Whatever the root, this tension is not God’s intent.
The God of the Gospel, the One who knows you fully and loves you still? Intimacy, not formality, is what He desires of us. And this intimacy extends even to our asking.
If there was ever a picture of intimate prayer, it is found in the gut-wrenching psalms of David. In Psalm 56, we find David seized by the Philistines, in danger for his very life. His prayer alternates between cries for help and affirmation of his ultimate trust in God. But then he asks, “For their crime will they escape?” (v. 7, ESV) The breathless desperation is almost audible. I hear honesty, familiarity. Not formality or formula.
In Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane we are shown the balance of a heart’s deepest longing, with surrender to the complete sovereignty of God. It is the ultimate collision of remarkable boldness and astounding trust, trust in the One who holds it all in His loving, omnipotent hands. He is the One in whose name we pray, whose perfect sacrifice grants us access to the very throne of God.
Then comes the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8, and again our minds go reeling. Is this how prayer works, the squeaky wheel gets the grease? Are God’s answers to prayer subject to His emotional whim? And yet, we know better. We know Christ speaks of us as beloved children whose Father delights in giving them all they need. (Matthew 7:11) We know the God who hears our prayers is the same who cares for the birds of the air. “Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26, NIV) So when we read of the widow who asks relentlessly and unapologetically for mercy – when we dare to imagine asking like children ourselves – we begin to understand that this bold asking is our privilege.
The pleas of an honest heart following hard after God are music to His ears.
Sisters, let us bring a chorus of trust and adoration and bold asking to His throne today.
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32 thoughts on "prayers of petition in scripture"
I don’t agree, read: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/05/living/four-day-workweek-cb/index.html – Sarai
Through you Christ I petition help to restore my son to his job and passion coaching and mentoring. I also petition that my daughter find a mate that she can love and he can love her and union together in God’s laws and serve him together. These Lord God I petition through Jesus Christ to You.
This particular plan is so awesome that I have chosen to go through it for the third time. I lead a prayer group on Thursday mornings at our church and this has helped me so very much in leading that group. Our numbs are not high – yet – but with prayer God will increase that as well as the prayers he has answered. My thing is remembering that God is huge and not measurable by man! When I take hold of that I know that through Christ I can do anything!
What a God we serve, the creator of everything, and we call Him “Abba,” “Daddy”! It is wonderful and very comforting to know that we can talk with Him boldly…..no pretense ,in all honesty , without retribution. or fear of anything….. At any time, in any way, in all our trials and emotional states! YES, He loves us!. He loves us . Thank you so much SRT and sisters all for the love and support you have shown to so many of us, showing us the way to experience a closer relationship with our loving Abba. Blessings.
Sorry ladies….Nice should read Nicole ….
Good evening my sisters…
That a blessing it is to come home from work and spend some time with you….
Joanna . In answer to all your Should i’s…… Yes you should.! Our God wants us to ask, he wants to share our lives with us. He wants to bless us,……abundantly. He wants a relationship with us.
Please , believe you are precious to Him.
You are a mom, would you ever want to hear your child say the words you have written in respect to you….. How upset would you be…..
Prayer is definitely not defeat….. Its the victory. Its the relationship you have with God.
Amy , sending you a BIG big HUG…… God knows. Trust him. Believe, and know that He sees your heart…… He Will turn your sadness into a joyful dance..you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy..
Trust in him…
Emma Boo, I sing for you……
Nice, can i tell you something…… YOU ARE SOMEBODY…YOU ARE THE DAUGHTER OF THE KING….A PRINCESS. That’s pretty special..don.t you think? X
To the rest of you my sisters i pray The Lord our God hears your cries, your desires, your wishes, your dreams large or small, and he blesses you abundantly with love joy peace happiness and answered prayers. Amen. X x
Amen!
I have been really soaking up this devotional on prayer. Who doesn't need a refresher? Yesterdays commentary on prayers of petition using Luke 11:9-10 really inspired me. I posted an image and a post on my blog, scripturesquegraphics.com concerning why we need to keep knocking and the blessings we receive. The gifts of the Holy Spirit-comfort, strength, help,etc. Today I continued with prayer using Romans 12:12-Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. More about persistence in our prayer lives. It is so exciting to think about all of us reading God's Word together for His glory!
Hi sisters:-) I’m learning to have a better prayer life. What I’m learning about prayer is that God hears His word. When we cry out to God and tell Him what He has promised us I believe this moves God. Like for example when we feel alone we cry out and tell God how lonely we are but then we say Gods word to Him. Lord you said you will never leave me nor forsake me etc.another example is David.He really cried out to God in all his situations but yet david always testified of Gods greatness.I’m learning HOW To do this. Just being more open. I used to write my prayers in a book but at times I didn’t think God will here them but I see david and how he wrote a lot of his prayers to God.it encourages me to keep going when I feel discouraged lonely and defeated. That God hears my cries and he wipes my tears away. Thank you SRT for your devotionals they come at a great time. And thank you my sisters in Christ your posts encourages me:-) have a blessed day
I have been really soaking up this devotional on prayer. Who doesn't need a refresher? Yesterdays commentary on prayers of petition using Luke 11:9-10 really inspired me. I posted an image and a post on my blog concerning why we need to keep knocking and the blessings we receive. Please take a look at scripturesquegraphics.com
Todays post goes on to discus prayer in Romans 12:12. How the cycle of prayer, hope, and endurance works in our walk of faith.
It is a blessing to be inspired every morning by #shereadstruth and to know that so many other women are reading THE WORD.
I’ve felt like I abused His trust and couldn’t seem to keep the simplest commandments- why in the world would He want to hear me or respond to such a weak willed person? I thought I’d have to earn His love and concern! And all my ignorance kept me from having a relationship with Him. The occasional plea from me took a lot of gall and i’d feel ashamed for asking. Knowing what I know now, I see a loving Father who provided when it was needed, directed me from afar, waiting for me to realize He was there!! My ignorance robbed me of precious time and trust in Him. And Satan sure has done everything he could to keep me from the Lord. Now I am armed with His truth, His word- Knowledge is everything!!
I wandered in darkness, now I’m in the light of His love! I stumble in my prayers everyday, but my confidence is growing because I know He does love me and wants to fulfill His plan for me- a plan for my growth and happiness, and for His glory!! My greatest prayer lately is for discernment and to hear Him. Wisdom to teach my kids about Him to the best of my ability, to save them the stumbling about, unsure of Him being there and loving them soo much! Then I humbly ask for as much time as possiible here on earth to be with them and enjoy His magnificent creation… and He has been gracious enough to do this. What a wonderful loving God…
It’s all about the journey, and the beauty others contribute to that journey!
Sisters you all have brought beauty and incredible insight and knowledge to my journey! In just a few months I’ve learned more than I’d ever learned during months/years of searching and I look forward to gaining even more knowledge from all of you. Thank you SRT writers for well written and researched plans, they are a real blessing to so many!
Praying for blessings to all my sisters! :)
Thank you all for blessing me this morning. You have no idea how much I need this. Thankfully I have a God who does. TYL
"…this bold asking is our privilege." Two things stick out to me here. First, I find myself in a place of absolute dependence on God, so I no longer come to him tepidly with my requests. I'm honest, I'm clear, I'm "bold", in one sense of the word. But in another sense, I'm really not bold. I dare to lay my heart bare to the God of the universe, yet when I'm completely honest with myself, I doubt that he hears or will answer. Not because he cannot. But on some level, I think, "Who am I, that he would bend his ear to my cries or move mountains on my behalf? I'm nobody." And my mind is flooded with questions of my worth to my Father in heaven. @ Elizabeth and @ Carolynmimi put it so very well. Thanks so much for your words.
Second, it's our privilege. I'm so guilty of seeing it as a burden that I must bear rather than a privilege to come into the throne room of grace, and to allow the Father to mold and shape my heart until it resembles his. For that is what he's been doing to me during this season of trials and prayers of petition. Initially, my requests were self-centered and did not consider Him at all, but as time has passed, His heart has become my heart. Although I am still praying for the same things I was over a year ago, my prayers have changed and so has my heart. And now, I can have true boldness, because my prayers are in accordance with His will. 1 John 5:14-15, "This is the confidence [boldness!!] that we have in approaching God: that if we as anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–whatever we as–we know that we have whatever we asked of him."
I get what you’re saying about total dependence on God during a season of trials. I’m there too, but I haven’t summoned the courage & boldness you describe. Got a lot of work to do still but I want to boldly come to Him with every part of myself.
Mark 10:51 "'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him. The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'" Praying today that when Jesus asks you, "What do you want me to do for you?" you will have the boldness and confidence to approach His throne with every part of yourself. And for me, praying that I will have the faith of a mustard seed. Lord, forgive my unbelief!
God hears our cries, knows our hearts, and will bring us through these trials. Blessings to you, @LaurenC_!
Realizing today that no cry, want, or plea is too trivial for God. Isn't it amazing that it has taken me this long to realize? He wants EVERY part of me, and that includes the tiniest little whim in my heart.
I've never been really good at praying through a particular order or formula. It doesn't feel sincere to me. Somehow I don't think that God is too concerned about whether I use a formula to talk to Him. I do understand how important structure can be for our human minds. It can give a sense of comfort and safety when we know what to expect. But God is not always "safe" and predictable when it comes to answering our prayers. Trusting in God takes a certain reckless abandon. We must be willing to risk our comfort for His best.
David was called a man after God's own heart and when he prayed it was often out of desperate need, spontaneous celebration, or honest, heart-wrenching confession. It came from an authentic place. It came from a reckless place of trust. God honored David for it. He honors us for it too. Risking. Trusting. Reckless Abandon. Sincerely, I love that.
This reminds me of Hannah, who prayed relentlessly in the temple for a son. God heard her prayer and granted her a son whom she gave up like she promised. Sisters, we know God hears us but everything will be done in God's timing and for his glory. He is sovereign and all-powerful! Rejoice!
Praying for all of you sisters. That when we doubt or think He WON'T that we know TRUST in Him.
How I needed to hear this morning that He wants us to come to him boldly. The last four months I have been praying for my broken heart and a broken relationship and have been waiting and waiting for some answers. I feel almost defeated and have moments of doubt. What stuck out to me this morning is that God is the God who HEARS us.
"We know the God who HEARS our prayers is the same who cares for the birds of the air. “Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26, NIV)"
I pray today that we would rest in knowing our prayers are not unheard.
I’m sorry for your broken heart and broken relationship, Amy. Relationships can be so hard. Praying that you wake up tomorrow with a real sense of hope & trust that answers are coming for you. Take care.
I need the reminder that I can go boldly and honestly before God with my requests. If something is really bringing me down I feel hesitant sometimes to come to him honestly. Aren’t Christians supposed to always be happy? That’s a lie I still feed into. It is nice to be reminded that God wants that honesty!
I don't ask because I think some of my whims and wants are too petty. Nations are at war. People are hungry or in need of work. My basic needs are met. Should I really be praying for patience or sustaining grace as a new mom? Or that my husband would be home more, work less? It seems so small. "I'll get through it. Pull myself up and keep going" I guess sometimes prayer feels like defeat. I shouldn't look at it like that but subconsiously I do. I think I probably miss out on intimacy with god as a result.
Lord, have mercy.
I've been where you are Joanna and remember so well the feeling of being alone. But my pride kept telling me I can do this. I just need to suck it up and march right through life. It was years before I could leave religion behind and pursue relationship. With relationship you can become so very comfortable taking all your woes to our Lord. Then once you begin to really be honest with God on all fronts the intimacy begins to form and you become so filled with Gods love that it just becomes natural to share with Him all yours wants and needs. Big and small. Think of your children….. Will you not want them to tell you everything that is of concern to them as they go through their precious lives? Big and small. Nothing is trivial to our Lord. He loves you so and His desire is to hear it all. Blessings to you!
I think that this devotion series in particular has shown me that I do not tend to be very confident in prayer, not that I think God CAN'T, but I tend to think that He WON'T. I need the reminder that we can go BOLDLY to Him. Its pretty awesome. The creator or the universe cares about MY requests? Pretty amazing.
One evidence of our faith is our prayer life, our continuing to ask, refusing to be silenced even when it seems like every prayer hits the ceiling and bounces off. At some level I knew that but when I read, "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” , it hit me, will Jesus find me asleep?
Will he find me curled in a fetal position, defeated and unwilling to ask God for anything, ever, again? Will he find me trying to run my own life with no regard to conversing with Him? Will I be one who has turned from the promises of scripture to the assurances of a broken world? Or, will he find me praising, confessing, and bringing every prayer request, every personal need, every little bit of me to Him?
Will Christ find faith in me?
Thank you for sharing this! Seriously convicted me, and has given me much to mull over. God bless you!
I loved today’s scripture especially Ps 56. I just wanted to read it over and over. In the worst, most uncertain of circumstances, God is good, God is strong, God is faithful, God is just. As I prepare to move across the country for my husband’s schooling uncertain of housing or jobs or how to coordinate moving my grandparents and possibly aunt from seperate states to live with us today’s devo gave me courage to trust in the big things I have already asked for to be provided and to ask for the little thing for myself that I really want. A gym close to home and work that isn’t expensive. It seems silly and trivial compared to the balls in the air at the moment but there it is.
Nothing on the hearts of his children is too trivial for God.
They say there are three answers to prayer: Yes, No, and Not Yet. God ALWAYS knows what is best for us even though we think we have it all worked out in our minds and He should listen to OUR plan!
Max Lucado said, "You have to wonder if God's most merciful act is His refusal to answer some of our prayers."
But I love what Raechel said at the end, "The pleas of an honest heart following hard after God are music to His ears." Our plan, lining up with HIS plan are the best answered prayers!
Not my will but thine be done.
I have heard that also and looking back on my life some of God's "NO's", I can see clearly were God's best. Others I expect to understand by and by, if not here then in heaven.
The parable of the persistent widow is such a great demonstration of God's justice. God delivers justice–if an unjust judge can give justice, wouldn't God give even more justice to his Chosen Ones when they pray? But He also blends justice with mercy–giving offenders time to repent. So, when I'm feeling mistreated, hurt, or doubt God's justice, I need to remember that He brings justice & mercy. Justice is coming, but He is merciful and seeking repentance from my offenders. The moral of the story–just keep praying! (Kind of Finding Nemo-ish) The "unanswered prayers" and "waiting" are part of His plan–so He can bring mercy to our offenders. What an awesome God we serve!
The verse I need to hold on to at the moment is Psalm 56:3-4 NIV
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid.
It gives us a command- when we are afraid, unsure, confused, hurting the answer is always to trust in God.
It offers us a way of showing this trust- praise God. This reminds me of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Then it reminds us once more to trust in God. For me I am in need of patience,to wait on Gods perfect timing and trust that he is in control right now and has a perfect plan.