Biblical Prayer
Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:4-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation … with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
Vending machines are convenient when you are in a hurry. If you have cash, they can supply you a quick snack or drink.
But the technology isn’t perfect. Sometimes the machine won’t accept your old, worn dollar. Worse yet, it might not deliver a product after swallowing your money. Some unfortunate customers get so upset that they vandalize the machine while trying to take out their purchase.
Sometimes we have similar attitudes as we pray to God. We try to use God as some kind of heavenly vending machine, and we demand quick fulfillment of our prayer requests—or perhaps we should call them “prayer orders”!
When we pray in that way, we grow restless and upset if we don’t get the desired results. Our grumbling against God really does not hurt him, but we hurt ourselves spiritually when we grumble and complain.
Today’s verse teaches about prayer attitudes. Biblical prayer is deeply rooted in our relationship with God the Father and in our attitudes toward the people around us.
The Lord is near. So we can sincerely rejoice in his love. That’s how restlessness is removed from our hearts. The Scriptures don’t say that all prayers will be fulfilled. But we are promised the all-embracing peace of God.
Lord, thank you for being near. That’s why we don’t have to be anxious about anything. We can pour out our hearts before you, trusting in your love and mercy. Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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