“Obedient And Reverent Submission As Grounds For Effective Prayers!”

“Obedient And Reverent Submission As Grounds For Effective Prayers!”(Heb.5:7-10).
Some Pharisees and teachers of the law requested to see a miraculous sign from Jesus. He called them a wicked and adulterous generation. He told them the only sign he will show them is the sign of Jonah. “For as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and nights in the heart of the earth…”(Mt.12:38-42, cf.Jon.1:17&2:10).
We do not need proof before believing in the Son of God. This may sound as bad logic, but there is no proof that he is not the Son of God.
Doubt may be an important ground in philosophy, but doubt must not necessarily lead to disbelief. Otherwise, why do we allow space for “benefit of the doubt?”
We may question a people’s beliefs because it seems illogical to us, but we must seek to know whether it works for them or not.
Christians know that one of the surest ways of reaching God and receiving responses from him is by prayer through Christ.
Praying and expecting results requires conviction and certainty of response. Prayers requires first and foremost, obedience and reverent submission to the One you are praying to.
One of the reasons why most of our prayers are not answered is because those prayers are useless and meaningless. Discernment is important as it helps us to know what to pray for and what not to pray for.
Effective prayers are prayers that align in the will of God. “Pray without ceasing” does not mean incessant incoherent praying.
Selfish and ambitious prayers, prayers that seek the destruction of others are not in the will of God. Also, when two people are praying for the same thing but holding opposite positions, none of them may necessarily be in alignment with Divine intention.
Take this funny but very reflective example: A man is being chased by a hungry lion. After running for some time without outpacing the lion, he stops and starts praying for God to save him. The Lion also stops and starts praying too. The man is surprised. He asks the lion why it is praying. The lion replies that it is saying grace before meals.
During his earthly ministry – especially during his last days – Jesus “offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered…”
What we learn here is that his prayers were heard due to his reverent submission and obedience.
Once his prayers were heard, he was made perfect, so “he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be a high priest…”
Bottom line: Jesus prayed and was saved, not from dieing, but from the grave through the resurrection. His prayers were answered because he was obedient and with reverent submission to God. He becomes the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Do you obey him?
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit guide me on the route of reverent submission and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.