Week 1 || Day 4
PURPOSE OF PRAYER: WE PRAY TO FIND DIRECTION IN OUR LIVES.
Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights before He began His earthly ministry. The entire time, He communicated with God through prayer. In the same way, when we pray and fast, we can experience God in a more intimate way and we are able to better understand God’s direction for our lives. As we seek God about the direction He wants us to take, we are trusting that the Holy Spirit will comfort us in prayer and guide us in decision-making. We also trust that the Holy Spirit brings things Jesus has spoken to us to our remembrance. This helps provide answers for our questions and helps us recognize and feel God’s love for us. It also allows unexplainable peace and joy to rule our hearts.
Illustration:
“Between an airplane and every other form of locomotion and transportation there is one great contrast. The horse and wagon, the automobile, the bicycle, the locomotive, the speedboat, and the great battleship—all can come to a standstill without danger, and they can all reverse their engines, or their power, and go back.
But there is no reverse about the engine of an airplane. It cannot back up. It dare not stand still. If it loses its momentum and forward-drives, then it crashes. The only safety for the airplane is in its forward and upward motion. The only safe direction for the Christian to take is forward and upward. If he stops, or if he begins to slip and go backward, that moment he is in danger.” - C. E. Macartney (Steven Arturburn, The One Year Book of Devotions for Men on the Go)
In prayer we can continue to move forward in our lives, heading the direction God has ordained for us. In ceasing to pray, we are like an airplane trying to head in reverse. It will fail.
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Kids SEEK, too!
Kids’ Illustration:
“During the first evacuation of children from bomb-torn areas of London, a train was leaving packed with children. Many of them had never been on a train, and most of them had never been in the country. The parents of a small boy and girl had just said good-bye to their precious children and left them standing on the platform. The little girl began to cry, and said she was afraid because she did not know where she was going. Her little brother, brushing his own tears away, put an arm around her in an effort to comfort her, and said, "I do not know where we are going either, but the king knows." Are not many of us like the little girl, fearful because we do not know where we are going in this distracted world of ours? We do not know, but our King knows! The emergencies and problems of our day will be calmly faced, if in our quiet moment we have met God and put our trust in Him.” - Day by Day
Kids’ Activities for Today’s Prayer Focus:
God Hears our Prayers Styrofoam Cup Activity
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Bible:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV)
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13 ESV)
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21 ESV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:26 ESV)
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3 ESV)
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Quote for today:
“As we trust God to give us wisdom for today's decisions, He will lead us a step at a time into what He wants us to be doing in the future.” - Theodore Epp
“An architect complains that many of his clients come and ask him to design a house for them, only to let him very speedily discover that they have already designed it all for themselves. What they really want is his sanction of the plan and the satisfaction of seeing him draw on paper what they have fully in mind. It is in very much the same fashion that we often go to the great Architect with our lives. We ask Him for wisdom and guidance, but we have already planned how we will build our fortunes and shape our course and it is not His way we are seeking, but His approval of our way. -Mississippi Visitor
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Points to Ponder:
Prayer allows us to follow the peace that passes understanding that the Holy Spirit offers
Prayer gives us an ear to hear where God is directing us
Corrie Ten Boom once asked, "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" Being honest, how would you answer that?
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CLOSING PRAYER: Father God, help me to trust you with my decisions and my future. Allow me lean on you with all my heart and not rely on my own flawed understanding. Give me clear guidance for my life, Lord. As I continuously submit myself and my life to you, I trust that you will direct my paths and I am able to have confidence that your direction is always the best way to go. Hear my prayer, Father. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
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