The Great Mystery of Prayer, Part III

Having finished Paul Miller's book on prayer, I'm ready to offer one final personal reflection (see my previous posts here and here).

One of the glorious effects of this book on my personal life has been a more consistent, systematic prayer for the members of Hickory Hill Baptist Church. Contemporaneous with the reading of this book was a conference I attended on "Shepherding Souls". I was reminded that, according to Acts 20:28, it is the Holy Spirit who appoints shepherds over sheep. The combined force of that reminder and Miller's fresh call to commune with the Father in prayer has impacted my soul.

Although I'm only a short way into this practice, I'm already seeing the effect. Among other things, I'm seeing that spending a specific time every morning praying for one particular sheep/sheep-family causes me to recognize on a deep level the sovereignty of God in that person's and/or family's life.

Every Sunday I hear updates: Joe is going in for knee surgery Thursday, Angie's uncle got another bad diagnosis, Bob's job announced more cuts coming in the next month or two. I hear all of those things and I feel a sense of empathy and identification, as shepherd and as friend.

But those life situations and updates are so easily divorced from God! But come Tuesday morning, as I spend however long praying for Bob, praying for his job, his boss, his family's income, for God's provision and intervention, well now things are different.

Because if prayer is anything, it is a recognition of God's absolute sovereignty (I love the quote, 'Everyone's a Calvinist on their knees'). Why prayer to God for Bob's job unless I acknowledge that God is sovereign over Bob's job, over Bob's boss, over Bob's boss' budget, etc. And so as I pray for Bob, in my mind and heart, I am bringing all of Bob's life under the sovereign hand of God.

Next Sunday now, when he comes to me and gives me his weekly update, I am postured now to think, feel, hear, and pray for him from the proper perspective of: God is good toward Bob, and God is in control of Bob's life/situation. This is good!

I am thankful to God for this turn of events in my life. The lack of prayer in my life has meant a decreased ability to shepherd well. May God continue to bring reformation into my heart and life.