“Look Toward Heaven As You Pray!”

“Look Toward Heaven As You Pray…!”(Jn.17:1-8).
When it was time to eat at the ceremony, the pastor was asked to say grace before meals. He started praying then suddenly he shouted, “Drive that dog away!” What happened was that while praying he saw a dog that was sending its mouth into the pot of soup.
There is also the story of the lady who told the pastor that she was distracted during worship service when she saw people browsing their phones during service. The question is, “Where was her attention focused during service?”
The problematic is about focused direction during prayer. Must we close our eyes during prayer? If we do not close our eyes during prayer, do we just keep looking around and everywhere during prayer? Is focus not about our thoughts not wandering away from our prayer intentions?
Dictum and fine articulations of prayer are not necessarily directed to God. Long and loud prayers are not necessarily directed to God.
If the the pastor at the function had closed his eyes he wouldn’t have seen the dog sneaking around. But if he had closed his eyes, the dog would have messed up the whole dish. If the dog messed up the food, the pastor’s prayer would have been meaningless!
Opening your physical eyes is less an issue because during prayer if your spiritual eyes are not open you would not see the manifestation of God’s glory as he responds to your prayer.
Focus and attention redirects our open physical eyes to be in tandem with our ever open spiritual eyes. “Shine your eyes” means try to see beyond the physical!
Be focused and look up to the person whom you are addressing. By the way, does psychology not infer that when guilty we find it difficult to look at somebody straight in the eyes?
Body language may be deceptive at times, but focus and concentration reveals intentions and motives.
Our Lord Jesus Christ should at all times be our role model in spiritual matters.In his high priestly prayer, and like during his many other prayers, “he looked toward heaven and prayed:…”
During prayer, focus and intention are as important as content -:if not more!
Humanbeings judge and conclude by the visible acts, but God who knows the thoughts and desires of every heart sees and decides on the intentions.
The Lord Jesus Christ has brought God’s glory to us. He has made us to know “the only true God and Jesus Christ whom” God has sent. This revelation comes only to those whom God has given to Jesus out of the world. That is why in his prayer Jesus is not praying for the world, “but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours…”
My friend, you are privileged to be among the chosen, open your eyes of faith to see the things of God clearly. When you pray, look toward heaven and talk to your Father in heaven in the same jovial manner you discuss with your biological father.
Weekend prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for revealing the Father to us. Help us to share in your glory. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.