Divine Intervention
On the news on the radio this morning I heard a story of what some experts had decided about prayer. It seems in a scientific study on anger and forgiveness it was decided that prayer helps to ease anger and create a forgiving nature within us. I thought, "Well, yeah, duh." I was initially pleased that this secular segment of society was acknowledging that prayer works. However, there was a B part of the report. As I listened I found myself quite angry and I had to pray for God to help me find the forgiving nature He gives us which I temporarily lost. You see the report said that prayer simply helps one to change negative attitudes on their own. The power is within each human. We just have to reach deep down and found good emotions, instead of bad ones. It is all about us. There is no divine intervention.
As I said, anger came followed by prayer for these people who were going against the whole divine power and purpose of prayer. I don't know about you, but when I pray I don't talk to myself, but to God. Talking to myself usually only brings a lot of negative things into play. We can talk ourselves into all kind of bad actions, thoughts, and emotions. But when we talk to God, He creates a new heart within us. Through prayer, to Him, we can forgive others as He forgives us. And how do we receive forgiveness from God in the first place? We pray to Him!!!! God divinely intervenes. He hears us when we pray and He answers.
In the Lord's Prayer, when Jesus taught us how we should pray, the very first line is a salutation to whom? Ourselves? No, but to God.
"Our Father who art in Heaven." And how does this prayer from Jesus Himself teach we are to be forgiven?
"Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us." We must forgive.
We also have the awesome opportunity to ask Him to lead us not into temptation but to deliver us from evil. So when we are tempted to remain angry and unforgiving, God will lead us away from anger to a calmer quieter forgiving nature if we seek His divine intervention.
In II Chronicles 6, a beautiful prayer of Solomon (a very wise man) is recorded.
12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth;
Solomon first acknowledged God as he began to pray. After Solomon prayed this prayer God answered and told Solomon that He had heard his prayer. And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, II Chronicles 7:12
There is no God like our God! I believe He hears and answers us when we pray today. We are not talking to ourselves but to God Himself. Today's world is full of experts with much wisdom on everything under the sun, but remember God's Word teaches
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men. Ephesians 6:1
As you pray always pray against the evil in this world. Pray that "experts" come to seek forgiveness through prayer from the one true living God who can divinely intervene in the hearts of evil men. May the world realize knowledge and wisdom, love and forgiveness come from God.
jbp