[Real Life] Unintended ConsequencesSample

Abide in Me

Jesus gives us the first intended consequence of being restfully resident, desperately dependent upon Him: prayers become intimate and are answered. 

Here is part of a 1,500-year-old prayer called St. Patrick's Breastplate:

Christ with me; Christ before me; Christ behind me.

Christ in me; Christ beneath me; Christ above me. 

Christ on my right; Christ on my left. 

Christ when I lie down; Christ when I sit down; Christ when I arise.

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me;

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me;

Christ in every eye that sees me; Christ in every ear that hears me. 

 Does that sound like an abiding prayer? When we say, “Lord, I want to abide in you,” He refines our prayer life. It is no longer about our comfort but about His kingdom. We realize there is something higher than our comfort. Our discomfort will be to God’s advantage. The more uncomfortable I am, the more I need God—the more I must trust in Him.

A second refinement of our prayer life is that it begins to move from being about needs to being about our relationship with God. When we go out to eat, I like to tell our waiter, “We’re about to pray for our food. Is there anything that we can pray for you about?” Waiters usually say, “I’m good; I don’t need any prayer.” That is how many Christians think about their prayer lives, “All is well. I don’t need God… until I need Him.” 

God wants to move us from need-centered to relationship-centered prayer, to where we ask for what He wants, not just what we want. Then He can say, “Ask whatever you wish and I will do it for you.” It is not giving a five-year-old a list and asking, “What do you want for Christmas?” It is giving a new bride a list and asking, “What more do you want from your husband?” She will tell you, “I don’t want stuff—I want Him!”

Lord, I am abiding in You, I want to walk with You and get to know You deeper, better, and more intimately. You can answer my prayers however You please, because I have You and You are better than stuff. Amen.