A Journey Through Romans

Romans 15:30-33 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favourably received by the Lord’s people there, so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

I recently read this article about this passage.

What is prayer? Prayer is too often associated with a ritual that makes us feel better, rather than seeking the face of a gracious God. Catholics pray the rosary, repeating memorised prayers with each bead on the rosary. Muslims have similar prayer beads by which they mindlessly utter memorised phrases to Allah. Some organisations teach prayers to memorise and pray on certain occasions. However, in most of these situations, prayer is comparable to a lucky charm.

Let me give you a definition of prayer: Prayer is a declaration of our dependence. Every time I pray, I am saying, "God, I need you” or “Thank you God for helping me!" We ask God's forgiveness, because we know we are dependant upon Him to forgive. We thank Him in prayer, because we know that whatever we are, or have, has come from Him. We petition Him, because only He can give us what we need. We know that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble, and that prayer is humility in action. It is saying, "God, I can't do this, so, I come to you acknowledging my need." There is nothing in our Christian experience in which we manifest our dependence on God, thus glorifying Him, more than in prayer.

We glorify God by prayer. We ask God to do for us through Christ what we can't do for ourselves. Prayer is the open admission that without God we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.

A prayerless Christian is like a bus driver trying alone to push his bus out of a rut because he doesn't know Clark Kent is on board.

There are two spiritual activities that should never cease in a believers life: the reading of God’s Word and prayer. When we pray, we speak to God; when we read His Word He speaks to us. The Bible and prayer make up the interchange between us and God. Scripture says we are to be unceasingly involved in both activities.

Paul asks the Roman believers to pray for two concerns: that the unbelieving Jews in Judea would not kill him and end his ministry; and the Jewish Christians would accept the financial gift from the believing Gentiles. So Paul urges the Roman Christians 1,000 miles from Jerusalem to ask God not to let that happen.

https://www.bereanbiblechurch.org/transcripts/romans_new/15_30-33.htm

I question how earnest I am in prayer?

Love Maria Wills spoke of prayer this way in her hymn……

Father, hear the prayer we offer:

not for ease that prayer shall be,

but for strength that we may ever

live our lives courageously.

Not for ever in green pastures

do we ask our way to be;

but the steep and rugged pathway

may we tread rejoicingly.

Not for ever by still waters

would we idly rest and stay;

but would smite the living fountains

from the rocks along our way.

Be our strength in hours of weakness,

in our wanderings be our guide;

through endeavour, failure, danger,

Father, be thou at our side.