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ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
March 25, 2020
Scripture: Hebrews 4:16
Finally, let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help.
Thought for the Day: So often we have made prayer into the Holy Vending Machine where we drop in our prayer coin, punch in what we want, and expect to receive exactly what we requested. This is not prayer, but fantasy. As I have shared before, but still relevant for this devotional: Rev. Rhodes Thompson, a wonderful DOC Pastor and Professor, used to say, “God doesn’t answer every prayer, but God answers every prayer.” What he meant was that God is not a Genie in a Bottle, affirming all our wants and desires. Instead, God answers every Pray-er, that is, every person who prays. And God answers with mercy and grace. There are others who do not view prayer as a Holy Vending Machine. In fact, they view it as the absolute opposite. They view it with trepidation, as something they do not deserve. Prayer suggest an intimate connection with God for which they are not worthy. Once again, the author of Hebrews suggests that we should have complete confidence in coming to God in prayer, and in that confidence, believe that mercy and grace are ours to receive.
Prayer: Gracious and Merciful God, thank you for the gift of prayer. Allow it to create a space where we can rest in your blessings that are life-giving to our spirits. Amen.
