Melodious Prayer (Eph 5:18-20)

A man said to me recently that he thought most people believed in God but just don't think he's doing anything for them. They do believe in God enough to pray but don't believe perhaps because of low self-esteem that he will bother himself to move on their behalf. Consequently this doubting is not met positively and therefore the cycle of low expectation persists. Jesus however taught us that our prayer should be embedded in trust and thanks for the response of a faithful God. He said profound things like ask and you shall receive (Mat 7:7) and I will do whatever you asked in my name! (Jn 14:14) Why then are some prayers answered immediately and others seem to go unanswered?
 
The Old Testament gives us a good understanding when elders came to Ezekiel (Ch 14) the prophet to seek the Lord when the Lord spoke to him saying, "These men had set up idols in their hearts and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity." He is saying that these men loved things other than and in place of their one true God. They had fallen into distrust and doubt; a state of faithlessness which shuts God out. The Lord then asks, "Should I let myself be inquired of at all by them?" He answers his own question (v4b-5) saying, "I the Lord will answer them according to the multitude of their idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by the heart because they are estranged from me by their idols." The reason may be solely concerned with the state of our heart as Jesus says in the Beatitudes, for he who looks with lust at...has already committed adultery." (Mat 5:28)

 
Consider Paul's words to the Ephesians (5:18b-20), "be filled with the Spirit...singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." This melody in the heart is our love for the Father in heaven through the Son Jesus Christ in fellowship with the Spirit as Paul gives us guidance in 1 Thes. 5:16-19, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit."

It is a good thing to have solid theology in your head but it is a greater thing to have solid God in your heart; his love for you and your love for him. We need to learn who God is in fact as Creator of everything before we can make this Godly melody in our hearts. We need to be eternally grateful to who he is and for everything he provides for abundant life in health, strength and energy. In order to pray thankfully we need to grasp what is this wonderful thing he has given us in life with Jesus Christ so there is no place left in the heart for iniquity and idolatry.

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