Worship in prayer

Over the last few weeks, the desire to pray has often eluded me. Not that the needs have vanished but that there are so many that I hardly know where to start. Christians have prayer helpers, such as CAST and ACTS that basically stand for confession, adoration, thanksgiving, and supplication. Using them can become mechanical. So can prayer lists. No one brings a list of topics to another expecting a good conversation so I find lists can easily make prayer a ritual rather than what it ought to be.

Oswald Chambers’ devotional for this day says something in the middle that gives me pause:

“Beware of outstripping God by your very longing to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, consequently we get so burdened with persons and with difficulties that we do not worship God, we do not intercede. If once the burden and the pressure come upon us and we are not in the worshiping attitude, it will produce not only hardness toward God but despair in our own souls.”

I’ve noticed this in groups that meet to pray. Burdens and requests are shared, then people jump right into intercession without any of the other components that are vital parts of prayer. No confession can mean that God sees something in me that needs forgiveness and cleansing. How can I expect Him to ‘fix’ the needs I present to Him if I neglect to deal with my own sins?

No thanksgiving? From Roman 1 and experience, I realize that without this, my heart is not fully satisfied with life — or that His will is being done, for which I should be thankful. I could even be blaming God for some lack in my life. My attitude is basically saying that God does not know what is best for me. With that attitude, how can I expect Him to answer prayer?

Chambers’ focus is on worship. Without it, my focus is on me, my needs, the mess in the world and the needs all around me, on the difficulties of life and not on the power of God to not just ‘fix’ them but that He has reasons for allowing them to happen. When I first worship, I remember things about God that affect the way I intercede. For instance:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

Those experiencing trials just might be in those trials because God is at work to mature them and is not interested in any pleas for comfort. Like Job said, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” (Job 23:10)

This tells me to worship the One who uses trouble for good — just like He took the greatest evil, the crucifixion of His Son, and used it for the greatest good. Worship changes the ways I intercede for the sick and suffering.

Worship also remembers that God has made promises. When interceding for others who suffer, I know He can use their suffering to bring them to faith in Christ. While the main news does not report it, thousands of people in the Middle East are turning to Jesus even as their lives are bombarded with bombs — and unfortunately that is all we see or hear rather than knowing God’s grace is at work in the wars. Worship helps me focus on His power, rather than become overburdened by the chaos.

PRAY: Lord, singing worship songs before reading the Bible helps me hear what You say to me. Worship in prayer does the same. Too often I let the clock rush me into asking without focusing on You, the One I am talking to. Forgive my haste. I know You hear and answer prayer despite my failings, but that is only because You are merciful and gracious. I need to begin praying far more often with words that honor and glorify You.