Prayer: What Does Not Work ~ Prayer without Effort

Greetings Dear Reader,

Over a twenty-five-year teaching career I often encountered students who would request that I pray for their success on exams.  I always asked the student if he or she had studied.  I would pray for the student no matter what his or her answer.

If the student said that he or she had studied then I would pray that the study would be recalled easily, that there would be no anxiety, and there would be a measure of mercy in the blank spots.  If he or she had failed to study then I would pray that he or she would learn the lesson of the importance of study quickly.  There is a vast difference between praying for recall and for divine revelation.

Now I sit me down to study,

I pray to the Lord I don’t go nutty.

If I should fail to learn this junk,

I pray to the Lord that I don’t flunk.

Now I lay me down to rest,

I pray I pass tomorrow’s test.

If I should die before I wake,

That’s one less test I’ll have to take. - Unknown

The point is that just like faith without works is dead, prayer without effort is empty.  God requires us to do our best and to pray for his blessing.  Neither can be left out.  One of my closest friends is currently unemployed.  He and I pray every day for him to find a job.  He also applies for jobs in his field every day.  He seeks to find real work that will allow him to meet his obligations and honor Christ in his work.

Were he only praying and not seeking work he would be wrong.  Were he only seeking a job and not praying he would be wrong.  I watch him get frustrated over the lack of progress but I am encouraged by his steadfast faith and effort.  He asks us to pray for him but is accountable to his efforts, frugal with his resources, and still has a generous heart.  He will not doubt God just because he has to count on him solely each day that passes where he does not earn an income. 

Prayer does not work when we do not work.  We may be unable to do some things but we can always do something.  It is a waste for my time and disrespectful for me to ask the Father to do what I can do for myself.  It is also a violation of my obedience to fail to involve him through prayer in every effort.  As Keith Green said so well: “DO YOUR BEST, pray that it’s blessed, and Jesus takes care of the rest.

He’ll Take Care of the Rest – Keith Green

You know it ain't no use, banging your head, up against that cold stone wall,

Cause nobody's perfect, except for the Lord, and even the best bound to fall,

Remember He is de vine, and you are de branch,

He'd love to get you through it if you'd give Him a chance,

Just keep doing your best,

And pray that it's blessed,

And Jesus takes care of the rest.

Yes the Lord said that He'd take care of the rest, He's gonna do it,

He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it,

He'll take care of the rest, the devil blew it,

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the rest.

Just think about Moses, in front of the burning bush, barefoot on the Holy ground,

You know, he must have been thinking, what's an old dude like me,

Gonna tell em all when I go down, go down Moses,

The Lord said, hey Moe, don't you worry about your going down south,

I'll be saying every word that comes out of your mouth,

Just keep doing your best, and pray that it's blessed,

Hey Moe, I'll take care of the rest.

Yes the Lord said that He'd take care of the rest, he's gonna do it,

He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it,

He'll take care of the rest, oh, Pharaoh blew it,

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the rest.

Just believe, and you'll receive, that comfort you need,

You just think about all those lonely people you know,

They've got everything they want, but they have empty souls,

Well, He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the, care of the rest.

You just think about Noah, toting his umbrella, when there wasn't a cloud in the sky,

All his neighbors would laugh at his pet giraffe, and would snicker as he walked by,

But the Lord said, hey Noah, keep cool, just keep building that boat,

It's just a matter of time till they see who's gonna float,

You just keep doing your best, and pray that it's blessed,

Hey Noah, I'll take care of the rest, I'm the weatherman.

The Lord said that he'll take care of the rest, He's gonna do it,

He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it,

He'll take care of the rest, his neighbors blew it,

He'll take care of the rest, He's gonna do it, He's gonna do it,

He'll take care of the rest, only Jesus can see you through it,

He'll take care of the rest, yes, yes, yes,

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the rest....

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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