Questions About Prayer…Dec. 14th

man prayingHow important is prayer in your life? Do you consider it something to ‘get you through,’ or is it a daily part of your life? Maybe your prayer consist of ‘thank You!’ or ‘please help me…’ But should there be more to my prayers? As we read God’s word, we find time and time again the emphasis that is put on prayer. “…He hears the prayer of the righteous.” Proverbs 15:29 or as Christ said, “ask in prayer, believing…” Matthew 21:22. And certainly you’ll remember the words of Paul as he wrote to the Thessalonian church, “…pray without ceasing.” (I Thess. 5:17)

Prayer is the conduit of communication with our Creator, Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.” And you might remember the old hymn (2nd verse), “The Father speaketh in His Word, He talks no other way! And to converse with Him, our Lord, we must take time to pray!” But what is prayer? How do I do it? Is there a certain manner in which I should pray? Some have many questions and can’t seem to know ‘how to do it,’ so they simply don’t pray. That should never be an option. Sunday morning we’ll consider praying and how we pray as we look at some “Questions about Prayer.”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, December 14, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“We Praise Thee, O God” – 2

A favorite among many as we begin our worship together. Perhaps it’s the resounding chorus as we sing “Hallelujah! Thine the glory!” or maybe it’s the way the music builds up within each verse. Whatever you find that encourages you, either with this song or another, be sure you give God the glory and open your hearts to give Him praise!

“Lead Me to Calvary” – 332

As we think about the Lord’s Supper we remember Calvary and Christ’s death on the cross. Verses that recall the ‘thorn-crowned brow,’ and the tomb guarded by the angels while Christ slept, rather than soldiers thinking He was dead. Even the reference to Mary coming to the ’empty tomb’ is found in this song. But notice how the chorus begins with a plea for each of us to remember the gospel, that is Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. “Lest I forget Gethsemane; Lest I forget Thine agony; lest I forget Thy love for me…” Why do we partake of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week? For many…lest I forget!

“On  Bended Knee” – 791man praying

How do you come before God? Are you humbled and repentant, or boastful and proud? If you have any question as to your pretense or pose, maybe you should consider singing this with us… “On bended knee I come, with a humble heart I come, bowing down before Your holy throne…”

“Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer” – 777

Written more than 150 years ago, this timeless, classical hymn is a prayer asking for God to hear our prayer. But what exactly are we saying while we sing? “Father, hear the prayer we offer: Nor for ease that prayer shall be, (I’m not looking for an easy life) but for strength that we may ever live our lives courageously. (Do we really believe that?) vs. 2 Not forever by still waters would we idly, quiet stay; but would smite the living fountains (a reference from Exodus 17:6 when God commanded Moses to strike the rock and bring forth water) from the rocks along our way.” Now notice our ‘prayer’ in the last verse … are you prepared to sing this one? “Let our path be dark or dreary, storm or sunshine be our share; may our souls in hope unweary make Thy work our ceaseless prayer. AMEN!”

“Did You Think to Pray?” – 848

Before you did anything else this morning, did you pray? Is it important enough to you that you start each day with prayer? We have questions about prayer and perhaps that’s why we don’t pray as often as we should. But if we would just remember the words of this spiritual song it might help us in our prayer life; “O how praying rest the weary! Prayer will change the night to day. So when life seems dark and dreary…don’t forget to pray.”

“God is the Fountain Whence” – 117

Before the lesson we’re reminded of the power in prayer. God is the fountain from where (whence) we receive our blessings. Ten-thousand blessings (a poetic gesture) flow from our God. As you sing this song you’ll be reminded that your life, your health, your friends and everything good that you have is in direct correlation to God. Since He has given us what we have…do we pray?

“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” – 391

Our invitation song is one that calls us to seek Jesus’ favor and to do His will. We sing of our blessed Jesus and how we are to be ready to turn to Him, but will we let Him lead us like a shepherd? Will we allow Him to be the Guardian of our way? “Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray.”

“I Will Pray” – 840

A wonderful progression is found in this old hymn; “Father, in the morning unto Thee I pray…At the busy noon-tide, pressed with work and care…When the evening shadows chase away the light (throughout my day)…I will pray!” We might have questions about prayer, how it works, what to say, is God listening; but, let each of us resolve that from life’s glad morning till the shadowy evening, I will pray!

Understanding a 150 Year Old Hymn

Born in 1824, Walter Chalmers Smith served as a minister in the Free Church of Scotland, a poet and a hymn writer.  Unlike other writers from the 1800’s, Mr. Smith never amassed a collection of recognizable hymns.  However at the age of 43, he penned a song that we can still find in many hymnals today.  Rich in the language of ‘Old English’, Walter Chalmers Smith referenced I Timothy 1:17 as he penned “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen”  I Timothy 1:17

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light in accessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish – but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render: O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

As a Christian hymn, this song is typically sung to the tune, “St. Denio”, originally a Welsh melody.  A well noted musicologist by the name of Erik Routley has given his impression of the hymn ‘Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise’.  He wrote:

“[Immortal Invisible] should give the reader a moment’s pause. Most readers will think they know this hymn, the work of another Free Kirk minister. But it never now appears as its author wrote it, and a closer look at it in its fuller form shows that it was by no means designed to be one of those general hymns of praise that the parson slams into the praise-list when he is in too much of a hurry to think of anything else but a hymn about the reading of scripture.  Just occasionally editorial tinkering changes the whole personality of a hymn; it has certainly done so here.”

When we sing songs (whether in the church auditorium, in the car driving down the road, or walking alone… ‘at eve’), are we thinking about the words to the songs we’re singing?  Processing our words and realizing what we’re saying should be more of a focus for those who sing.  Singing without thinking about the words would be no different than speaking without thinking about the message.  Read some of the words from this 150 year old hymn one more time, with some clearer understanding.

Verse 1…Immortal, invisible, God only wise (do we realize the immortality of our God?  We don’t see Him physically, but even in this ‘invisible state’ we know He is all wisdom.)

Verse 2…Unresting, unhasting and silent as light (God never sleeps, He’s not slow in keeping us and just as we can not hear the sun…we feel His presence.)  Nor wanting, nor wasting Thou rulest in might (God does not lack in giving to us, nor does He waste His time on us; He is the ultimate ruler.) Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above (Who won’t desire justice that holds a high standard in our life and death?)  Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. (Ever notice the comfort, and rain, that comes from the clouds?  When you see a cloud floating in the sky, you can remember God’s ‘goodness and love.’)

Verse 3…Abundant life comes from God (‘we blossom and flourish’) and still we understand that if life we will all grow old (‘wither and perish’).  However…God never changes.

Verse 4…If you’ve ever tried to look directly at the sun, you know you can’t without being blinded.  In the same way, God’s brilliance hides Him from our sight.  Yet the author ask God, “O help us to see”!  Oh that we would ‘render our praise’ to God!  Conclude this hymn with the combination of verse 1 & 4; “All mighty, victorious, God’s great name we praise, and to Him…ALL praise we would render“.