My sister has a favorite mug she got from college… a little something nostalgic and comforting during our move. Somewhere in between moving, unpacking, and settling in... the mug lid somehow jammed shut! We both tried unscrewing the lid numerous times and various ways to no avail. I tried using all my might and force to untwist the lid and ended up slightly straining a muscle. We ran the mug under hot water, used a jar grip, but it. just. would. not. budge.
We thought about throwing it away, but instead put it back on the shelf since my sister was not ready to part with it just yet. Days, and weeks went by and I had forgotten about it. It wasn’t until the other day when I saw water in the mug that I realized someone must have opened it! When I asked my sister she explained it had been one of our parents. For whatever the reason I had not even thought to ask them to help us and see if they might have a solution.
“The Posture of Prayer” - Humility
Perhaps we all have experienced something similar in life, something that just wouldn’t seem to budge. How many times have we tried to open “doors” in our lives or force things to happen in our own strength? And how many times have we wanted to place that thing back on the “shelf” of our hearts and just forget it, and or forget asking God about it.
In the posture of prayer we are: Humbling ourselves and recognizing God’s sovereignty and omnipotence. Continually acknowledging God in every situation or circumstance. Remembering and declaring His promises and His goodness. Also through prayer we will be resting in Him, instead of striving we will present our hearts before the Lord.
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV)
“The Purpose of Prayer” - Prayer fixes our eyes on Jesus, knowing that He alone can save.
Praying for God’s will to be done above all else is saying: even so, God, You are good, I am asking You for this, but I am also surrendering it to You knowing that You are faithful through it all. Prayer should not be a tool we use as a last ditch effort or a last resort. We should have a lifestyle of prayer. There is something very humbling about saying, I can’t do this by myself, or I need Your help. As humbling as it may be, it is also really freeing! It frees us from the burden and weight of trying to carry something all on our own.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)
The mug was just a small example, an object lesson, to a bigger principle. The solution of the mug could have been to recognize that it was broken and needed to be replaced, or repurposed into a decoration piece, but in this particular instance it was that it could be fixed. Just like the mug lid we need to turn things over into Our Heavenly Father’s care, with the awareness that things might happen in a way we didn’t expect and at a time when we didn’t expect.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV)
He is able to give us a greater measure of the gift of faith and grow our patience even when we don’t think we have an ounce left.
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