The Truth About Prayer
Pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB
Pray – “We do not refuse to pray. We merely feel that our tongues are tied, our minds inert, our inner vision dim, when we are about to enter the door that leads to prayer. We do not refuse to pray; we abstain from it. We ring the hollow bell of selfishness rather than absorb the stillness that surrounds the world, hovering over all the restlessness and fear of life – the secret stillness that precedes our birth and succeeds our death.”[1]
Abraham Heschel observes that prayer begins with silence – silence in front of the Creator of all – all life, all the far-flung objects of the universe, all the history of God and Man. Heschel’s few pages on prayer offer more insight than volumes of theological texts because Heschel looks at praying rather than the idea of prayer. He notices:
1) Prayer is the gratefulness of wonder in the face of life itself, the unearned gift of existing to honor and serve.
2) “Prayer is our attachment to the utmost.”[2] “Prayer is not soliloquy. But is it dialogue with God? Does man address Him as person to person? It is incorrect to describe prayer by analogy with human conversation; we do not communicate with God. We only make ourselves communicable to Him. Prayer is an emanation of what is most precious in us toward Him, the outpouring of the heart before Him. It is not a relationship between person to person, between subject and subject, but an endeavor to become the object of His thought.”[3]
3) “What we want is not to know Him, but to be known to Him; not to form judgments about Him, but to be judged by Him; not to make the world an object of our mind, but to let the world come to His attention, to augment Him, rather than our knowledge. We endeavor to disclose ourselves to the Sustainer of all, rather than to enclose the world in ourselves.”[4]
4) “We do not pray in order to be saved . . . we pray so that we might be worthy of being saved.”[5]
Today let us think on these things. Let us embrace our feeble and inadequate efforts at disclosing who we truly are before Him. Let us remember that the disciples, trained all their lives in the ritual prayers of their ancestors, still came to Yeshua and asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” This is our heart’s cry. Do not fill us with theological and exegetical analysis. Teach us to bask in the wonder of Your silence. Teach us gratefulness for our very being. Show us how to become Your concern. In our efforts to pray without ceasing, Lord, help us stop talking and feel our preciousness in Your sight.
Topical Index: prayer, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Abraham Heschel
God already knows the deepest recesses of our hearts.
We don’t.
The scriptures are clear on this.
Prayer is that miraculous exclusive linkage between
God’s devine nature and the devine nature (2 Pet 1:4)
believers receive at their new birth.
This union then, between believers and their Creator,
is beyond human understanding. But if you have truly
received your new life in Christ, you KNOW that you
have it.
Oswald Chambers says, “Prayer does not equip us for
the greater works – – – prayer IS the greater work.
Jesus said, “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest
to send out laborers into His harvest.” Mat 9:38
So . . . “pray without ceasing.”
I think I have to disagree with statement #4. Salvation is a gift, and not something that we can earn. I believe we can “cry out” to the Lord, but we do not need to pray to be found worthy. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we are worthy.
I also think Hershel’s comments leave out the ability of the Holy Spirit to intercede through us (and lead us and direct us) – “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words…”
The whole role of the Holy Spirit is to “lead us” into truth. We are “known” to the Lord and through the Holy Spirit we can then “know” what He wants for us.
It might depend on what one understands “salvation” to be or what it means to “be saved.”
“We do not pray in order to be saved . . . we pray so that we might be worthy of being saved.”
Susannah Heschel
I can understand what Susannah might be saying in this quote. Salvation resides in embracing what the Lord offers, a way back to His righteous life, exemplified by the instructions of Torah. This, Torah, is the way. Do this, Torah, and you will reflect my life, your salvation.
Our prayers, both silent and verbal, are our exertions in attempts to align ourselves in His love, light, ways and character. They are our creative efforts to learn to express ourselves in ways that continually reflect Him each moment.
“Lord, may I walk in your ways. May I think your thoughts. May I exude your nature as I strive to see the discrepancies between what I do and what reflects You, etc.”
“Lord, may I be worthy in deed and thought of what you have bestowed upon me.”
Susannah just isn’t expressing the typical response of western Christianity.
I thought a little more in this regard.
“but we do not need to pray to be found worthy. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we are worthy.”
Susannah writes, “We do not pray in order to be saved . . . we pray so that we might be worthy of being saved.”
Salvation is freely given by God, unearned by us. In His ‘chesed,’ He graciously extends a relationship to the one who stops going in his own direction and turns to the only One who chooses to offer any kind of real relationship with us. And, it’s all in the context of what He has and still is doing in and through Israel as His chosen people of instrument regarding redemption for all.
In my Southern Baptist upbringing I have been taught that we need to pray and ask Jesus in to our hearts. John the Immerser’s message wasn’t to pray but to repent. Repentance is making an adjustment in one’s steps, not words. Turning around from the wayward directions (against Torah) toward Torah was the message of John. There is no need to announce what one is about to do or any request to do so. The directive is to repent. It’s action. Speaking about the Torah instructions one has committed to obey is loud confirmation! The simple lifestyle of obeying Torah WILL make you visible to the world at large. Why? It is peculiar and foreign. It is holy. Ask any observant Hebrew. Obey gets quick attention, questions and notoriety. But getting notoriety isn’t the goal. Hitting the image of God by obeying Torah instructions is.
Once repentance has been evidenced, a visible observance in the Hebrew world, one begins seeing and realizing the salvation residing in His ways. Sin (Hebrew-‘chata’) is missing the mark. Righteousness is the arrow of Torah hitting the mark of God’s ways and character as reflected in Torah. Torah is the pedagogue/tudor to bring us to the ways and instructions of God for real life.
Exercising and practicing the instructions of Torah produces righteousness in a person by way of demonstrating true repentance of turning around and getting back on the path of God’s ways (once again, as delineated in Torah-where else?)
In my estimation, Susannah has it correct. We’ve been granted gracious salvation, intimacy with our Creator. Prayer begins the internal expressions, verbal or silent, we direct toward our redeemer in order to mold us in to performers that reflect what He has given us. No, we don’t earn it. But we do pursue with the totality of our lives with every effort and grain of energy our behavior to conform to our Father’s wishes. What does He demand of us? To be mature, full and reeking of His image. How? By diving in and learning with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength Torah in a way that shows clearly that we are His. Holiness is acting in the set apart ways instructed in Torah.
Truth I didn’t learn in my Baptist Faith and Message booklets.
This, I Know
Who is Israel, and what (or who!) is Torah?
Israel is a Person. Israel is a people. Israel is a place. Israel is a mystery and Israel is a message.
What is Torah? Torah is the instructions (law) of YHWH. Torah, the law (or laws), the instructions of Elohim, is found in all of scripture. Torah is the inspired and written Word of (or from) God. The written Word of God (or from God) is synonymous with Torah.
What did God give unto Moses upon the mountain? The written Torah. Here are My ten rules for right-relationships. Here are my written instructions (Torah) for rightly-related (righteous) living. “Do” these things and live.
The law came by Moses. Grace and truth came by (or through) the tslav of the Messiah. The Law, (the Torah)- the written instructions of YHWH, was (and still is) our Schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. There is nothing (at all) wrong with the Torah or the written instructions of our Elohim. ~ The Law of the LORD, (the instructions from ADONAI) are perfect. reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple ~
Grace does not supercede or replace the Law. No, not at all. But the perfect Law of God, the Torah, was given unto an “imperfect” people! No one, (no, not one,- with the exception of One) has ever lived a fully compliant or Torah-obedient life, with the exception of the only fully Righteous Man who ever lived! ~ Behold, the (perfect) fully Torah-obedient Lamb, the One sent by God (and for the purpose of?)
No, the Torah of YHWH, the word of the LORD is perfect, but we are not. None of us are,- “no, -not one.” We (all) have in one way or another, transgressed the Torah of YHWH, the Law of the LORD and The Fact of Sin has been established (in order that the whole world might become guilty before God!). God first gave His (oral) instructions to Adam.- What happened? Epic failure,- and the first of many “transgressions and transgressors.” (all we like sheep have gone astray..)
We all, (both Jew and Gentile) most assuredly and certainly (all) are in great need of a Mediator, an Intercessor, a Savior and a propitiating and atoning Sacrifice for our sin. Who would this be? Has God provided Himself the Lamb? Yes, He has.
The Word, the Message, The Torah of Elohim, became flesh and lived among us. And His Name is?
~ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is the Word of God ~ (Revelation 19.13)
~ for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day ~ (2 Timothy 1.12)
Why?
Because ~ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
~ Christ, (our LORD) Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst ~
(1 Timothy 4.9)
This, I know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2bwIK5txds
While I am not defending Heschel, I would ask that you see if you can answer the following question:
If you were a Jew in the first century in Israel listening to Yeshua speak about prayer, would you draw the same conclusions?
I am in agreement with Rob regarding statement #4; however, the message this morning has moved me to get and read Heschel’s book. I plan to dig deeper into this one.
Thank you Skip.
And Grace Meets Need
I will speak concerning prayer for prayer is “the need” of this hour- and of every hour. “I Need Thee Every Hour”- is not far from removed the truth! Not only is “this, the day which the LORD has made”- but He is the God of every moment, every breath, every heart-beat and every thought. In short… (He is to be) LORD of all. LORD of time and of eternity. LORD of our yesterdays, our todays and our tomorrows. If only we knew how intricately and intimately our LORD is involved in each of our lives..
I believe this is where many, (self included) “fall short..” We take Christ as our Savior and ask His forgiveness for all we have done, – all that offends Him- for we know, sin is an abomination to our thrice-holy God, but we do not “allow” Him to be LORD of (all) of our lives.
‘Lordship’ is inseparably linked to the Name of Jesus. The following text before us makes this clear. Paul said, ~ Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the (holy, blessed, sacred) Name of Jesus, *every knee* should bow, of those in Heaven and those on Earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11)
~ Pray without ceasing ~ is inextricably linked to ~ bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ! ~ What do YOU think about during the course of your everyday living? Are YOU one of “those?” ~ Those He redeemed from the hand of the Foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south ~ (Psalm 107:2) Have YOU been “redeemed?” (bought with a price) ~ Let the redeemed of the LORD, – say so. ~ Yes, (adams)- speak. Speak and say- ~ hitherto has the LORD brought me.. ~ He sought me and He bought me- with His redeeming love. He loved “me’ e’re I knew Him,- and ALL my love is due Him. This is true relationship- “all.”
My wife is “all” mine, and I am “all” hers. (savvy?) I do not wish to speak of love “mathematically,” – for love is far more than 1 + 1. In our blood-covenant relationship with God, (the human and the divine are one) and 1 + 1 = 1! (the two shall become one flesh!)
We, the ones who have been redeemed from the hand of the Foe, are now, today, in a “blood-covenant” union with The Messiah. We are His “purchased possession”- He (in today’s parlance) “p-owns” us, in “totality.” Lock, stock and barrel!
We are His by right of creation- ~ it is He who has made us ~ and His again by right (or authority) of Calvary! We have been born once- congratulations little one, – God has given you life and breath! And we , the ones who belong to the “always Good” Shepherd, has been given through the regeneration of the Ruach HaKodesh, new life and new breath!
Is “eternal life” a quantity or a quality? Yes. – it is. (both!). Oh, the gifts we have received!! Unwrap them, one by one and marvel! ~ Let (allow) the word of Christ, (the message of the Messiah) dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God ~ (Colossians 3.16)
Do you (Carl) love Him? He loves you (Carl) and He has (more than) proved His love.. – but what about you (Carl)? Do you love Him? Are His thoughts- your thoughts? Are His words- your words? If He has asked you to do something (anything) – will you do it? Will you (Carl) not only hear His words- but do them? Will you (Carl) not be a “hearer” only, – but a “doer?” Then, (and only then)- you (Carl) will be “blessed.”
Trust (batach) and obey, for there is no other way- to be happy *in Jesus*, but to trust and obey!
~ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things ~ (Philippians 4.8) This is (also) the word of the LORD. We have our instructions..
I will speak concerning prayer for prayer is “the need” of the hour- and every hour. I need Thee every hour- is not far from the truth! Not only is “this, the day which the LORD has made”- but He is the God of every moment, every breath, every heart-beat and every thought. In short… (He is to be) LORD of all.
I believe this is where many, (self included) “fall short..” We take Christ as our Savior and ask His forgiveness for all we have done, – all that offends Him- and sin is an abomination to our thrice-holy God, but we do not “allow” Him to be LORD of (all) of our lives.
‘Lordship’ is inseparably linked to the Name of Jesus. The text before us makes this clear. Paul said, “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the (holy,blessed, sacred) Name of Jesus, *every knee* should bow, of those in Heaven and those on Earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11)
~ Pray without ceasing ~ is inextricably linked to ~ bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ! ~ What do YOU think about during the course of your everyday living? Are YOU one of “those?” ~ Those He redeemed from the hand of the Foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south ~ (Psalm 107:2) Have YOU been “redeemed?” (bought with a price) ~ Let the redeemed of the LORD, – say so. ~ Yes, (adams)- speak. Speak and say- ~ hitherto has the LORD brought me.. ~ He sought me and He bought me- with His redeeming love. He loved “me’ e’re I knew Him,- and ALL my love is due Him. This is true relationship- “all.”
My wife is “all” mine, and I am “all” hers. (savvy?) I do not wish to speak of love “mathematically,” – for love is far more than 1 + 1. In our blood-covenant relationship (the human and the divine) 1 + 1 = 1! (the two shall become one flesh!)
We, the ones who have been redeemed from the hand of the Foe, are now, today, in a “blood-covenant” union with The Messiah. We are His “purchased possession”- He (in today’s parlance) “p-owns” us, in “totality.” Lock, stock and barrel!
We are His by right of creation- ~ it is He who has made us ~ and His again by right (or authority) of Calvary! We have been born once- congratulations little one, – God has given you life and breath! And we , the ones who belong to the “always Good” Shepherd, has been given through the regeneration of the Ruach HaKodesh, new life and new breath!
Is “eternal life” a quantity or a quality? Yes. – it is. (both!). Oh, the gifts we have received!! Unwrap them, one by one and marvel! ~ Let (allow) the word of Christ, (the message of the Messiah) dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God ~ (Colossians 3.16)
Do you (Carl) love Him? He loves you (Carl) and He has (more than) proved His love.. – but what about you (Carl)? Do you love Him? Are His thoughts- your thoughts? Are His words- your words? If He has asked you to do something (anything) – will you do it? Will you (Carl) not only hear His words- but do them? Will you (Carl) not be a “hearer” only, – but a “doer?” Then, (and only then)- you (Carl) will be “blessed.”
Trust (batach) and obey, for there is no other way- to be happy *in Jesus*, but to trust and obey!
~ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things ~ (Philippians 4.8) This is (also) the word of the LORD. We have our instructions..
~ I desire, therefore, that men would pray in every place, lifting their hands in purity without anger or argument ~ (1 Timothy 2.8)
~ ask, and you will receive.. seek, and you will find.. knock, and it shall be opened unto you ~