more than a grocery list

The topics of prayer and unbelief have permeated my life recently. It was a main topic at Winter Conference. I am currently reading a book on prayer revivals called Fireseeds by Dan Hayes. The sermon at church on Sunday was about healing. And last night at community group, we heard first hand of awesome answers to prayers. There is so much I want to say on this topic, so I am not quite sure how to begin or how to contain it all, but somehow it will happen.

Prayer is something we take for granted, isn't it? It's something so casual in our lives. We pray before meals, pray before bed, pray before sermons, pray before tests, etc. Maybe you even pray while you are in the shower or driving or exercising. Many times, though, when I am praying, I do it as more of a habit as opposed to actually realizing Who I am talking to - and what He is capable of. It can even become a sort of a "grocery list" of things I need. At Winter Conference, Todd Ahrend said, "You can tell how big your God is by the magnitude of what you pray for." I often pray for somewhat big things: people coming to know the Lord, the healing of my friend Scott, guidance for my life; but I don't think that I actually take the time to slow down and believe that the Lord can do those things. It's like I pray them to get the ideas out on the table, but I don't always expect much to come out of my requests.

Until recently.

Over the Christmas break, I was talking to a girl in my community group who has a rough relationship with her mom. I had been praying for her a little, but after our text conversation I put down the phone and specifically lifted the situation up to the Lord. Last night, she told me that the very next night after we had talked, her mom had admitted to not really knowing how to read the Bible and apply it; the mom asked her daughter for advice on studying the Word and on living it out!

It gets even better! I met one-on-one with a girl yesterday, and we were praying for her father, who is not a believer. She wanted to be able to bring up spiritual things with her dad and figure out where he stood, but she wasn't sure how to start that conversation. One idea she had was to maybe read a book together and discuss it, although she wasn't sure how he would take a specifically Christian book. I know she had been praying about it a lot, and we prayed together. Then as I walked back to my car from campus and later that afternoon as I was running I was praying about it. Turns out, a couple hours later, her dad calls her and says he wants to start having weekly phone conversations with her. AND he wanted to pick a book and read it with her - his suggestion was The Purpose-Driven Life!

My community group girls had other stories of what God had done over their breaks as well, and I was simply amazed at the way God was moving! Plus, the other girls who all have things and people in their lives that they are praying for got to hear these stories proving God's faithfulness!

It was really encouraging for me, but also convicting. After seeing what the Lord is doing in these situations, I have that much more reason to believe when I pray. I have that much more reason to bring big requests before the Lord and trust in His plan but also not doubt His plan.

Over the weekend, a friend mentioned reading Isaiah 36-37, so I decided to look it up, and read 38 as well. In these chapters, Hezekiah prays two main prayers. The first is a prayer for delivery. Assyria is attempting to conquer Judah, and King Sennacherib is blaspheming God in the process. Hezekiah's approach to the situation is to bring this big problem to the Lord. He prays:

"O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God... So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord." (27:16-17,20)

The first part of his prayer is worshipping God for Who He is - standing back in awe and recognizing His power. Then he brings his request before the Lord and asks for the Lord to step in and fix the situation. And the Lord answers and completely dominates the Assyrians.

Hezekiah's second prayer, though, is a little different. He becomes very sick, to the point of death, and Isaiah brings a message from God saying that he needed to get his affairs in order because he would not recover. This time, Hezekiah prays:

"Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (38:3)

The Lord's response touches something inside of me:

"I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city." (28:5-6)

These are two very different situations: one concerns the whole nation while one is just for Hezekiah personally. Both are somewhat extraordinary situations. But God's heart is moved.

As I read the second story concerning Hezekiah, tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that God wants to do the same for me. I don't think it's that we change His mind as much as He wants us to bring those requests before Him so that He can do something mighty. He doesn't just care about wars and politics; my God cares about my heart.

If I truly believe that my God is a mighty God

If I truly believe that God is concerned with my life

If I truly believe that Jesus' power is stronger than my weaknesses

Then I need to pray with that belief.

There is power in prayer.

He's answered prayer before

He will answer prayer again.

Lord, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)