Skip to main content
DESIRING GOD
(Romans 8:15-16—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang)

Prayer is a universal phenomenon. Every religion and culture will have their own way of prayers. The survey in the US in 2004 said about 30% of Atheists prayed sometime and about 17% non-believers pray regularly. This shows the human longing to communicate with the divine. Some theologians called it “the incurable God-sickness.” St Augustine said, “We have made in us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” There is a longing in us to be in union with our Creator.
In the past people will pray for help to adapt and overcome the forces of nature. People were helpless and seeking for higher power. Today, science has helped us to adapt and overcome the nature, and people are begin to look inward—to search for more self-consciousness and inner peace. Many Christians from the West turn to the Eastern Religions and go to the Ashrams (monasteries) in India for mediation and inner peace.
Yet, what made Christians’ prayers different? For some prayer is part of their upbringing—family or church tradition. Many Christians pray very well as part of their functions in the Church or Christian gatherings. But true prayers borne from our relationship with God. We begin to communicate to God when there is a relationship. Romans 8:15-16, when the Spirit dwells in us and convinces our hearts and minds that we belong to God, we are a child of God—and given us the dependency and longing to God, like a little child with his/her Father, crying, “Abba Father.” In Ephesians, again Paul prayed for the believers so that God may open the eyes of their heart to see God and to know Him better.
Prayer is not merely a way to get things from God but as a way to get more of God himself – that is to know God better. Prayer is driven by a desire and longing to draw closer to the God, to know Him, to adore Him and to grow to be like Him.
How do I know I desire to pray – ‘to commune’ and talk with God? The proof test: Look at what you spend time thinking about when you’re alone? Nothing is forcing you to think about anything in particular? Do your thoughts go toward God? Do you confess you sins before God? Do you habitually thank God? And praise Him?
Just like many human relationships, crises will reveal what had been built earlier. Our prayer life will determine the way we face crises and change of life circumstance.
As the Spirit works in us, may we be open for His moving. May the Spirit instill in us the desire to get closer to God in prayer! And to have a longing to know God better. And to build a habit of talking with God regularly and consistently.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kehendakku vs KehendakMu "Ya Bapa-Ku, jikalau Engkau mau, ambillah cawan ini dari pada-Ku; tetapi bukanlah kehendak-Ku, melainkan kehendak-Mulah yang terjadi." (Lukas 22:42) Mira adalah ukuran kebahagian yang diinginkan oleh banyak orang. Cantik, tamatan luar negeri, orang tua yang masih sehat dan cukup kaya. Usia masih tigapuluh lima , menikah dengan suami yang baik dengan karir yang mantap , dilengkapi dengan dua orang putri yang sehat dan pintar. P ersis di puncak ke hidupan ini, tiba-tiba suaminya, Hendra , divonis kanker tulang belakang. Tidak sampai setahun, ajal menjemput Hendra . Mira sang janda yang masih cukup muda ini harus menata kembali hidupnya tanpa suami. Belum setahun berselang, ayah Mira harus dilarikan ke rumah sakit karena serangan jantung dan ia pun tidak pernah kembali lagi ke rumah. Kembali Mira harus mengenakan kain kabungnya. Hanya beberapa bulan berselang, g ulungan awan k umulus kembali menyelimuti keluarga ini. Mira yang lincah dan cekatan, tiba-...
Post a Comment
Read more
BIBLE, THE WAY TO HEAVEN (2 Timothy 3:10-17—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang) I want to know one thing: the way to heaven. God himself has condescended to teach me the way. He has written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book! At any price give me that book of God. Let me be homo unius libri – a man of one book . (John Wesley’s Prayer) What does the Bible mean to you? False teachings was one of the issues faced by the early church. Paul reminds us, the Bible is the way to heaven, the way of God, the way of life. We need to be rooted in the Bible firmly. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Bible should be the foundation of our life and ministry. in discerning the teachings in our time and in setting direction for our church. The Methodist Quadrilateral do not have equal weigh. Rather, Tradition, Reason, and Experience should...
Post a Comment
Read more
Cuma itu yang bisa saya lakukan, hanya kehadiran saja Saya jadi teringat: Musa meminta kepada Tuhan, " if your presence (kehadiran) does not go with us, do not send us from here " ( jika Engkau sendiri tidak membimbing kami, janganlah menyuruh kami pergi dari tempat ini" (Kel 33:15) Kesibukan hidup menjadikan " kehadiran" menjadi sesuatu yg sulit kita berikan kepada orang lain, keluarga ( suami, istri, anak-anak, cucu2, atau orang tua) dan bahkan kepada Allah. Ironis, sama seperti Musa kita merindukan kehadiran Allah (hadiratNya) - kehadiran Roh Nya. Namun, apakah kita juga hadir di hadapanNya?  Ketika kita beribadah, baik sendiri maupun bersama-sama di gereja, apakah kita hadir di hadiratNya? secara jiwa, raga, hati, dan akal  budi? (Mar 12:30). Di hadapan orang-orang yang kita kasih? Ketika secara fisik kita hadir pun, perlu kita cek apakah Jiwa dan hati kita juga hadir di sana? Fenomena sekarang, ketika fisik sudah ...
1 comment
Read more