Supplication

Dear Worshipers,

Prayer. It continues to be on the front of my mind for a number of reasons. Not the least of the things keeping it there is the sermon series Pastor David is taking us through, To Be Like Jesus.

This week we turn from the preconditions of holiness to the practice of it. We begin this part of the discussion with SUPPLICATION. In our weekly meeting today, Pastor David shared with me this thought. “All spiritual disciplines are prayers. All prayers are supplications.” While he will be expanding this in Sunday, let me give you my version.

All of our life lived out before the Lord must be done in an attitude of prayer, bathed with prayer, marked by prayer. (I Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1) I have always considered our corporate worship prayer, and you may have noticed me saying things like, “As we continue in an attitude of prayer…” as we have gone from prayer to a song. But if all of our life is to be one grand act of worship (prayer) made up of a million smaller acts of worship (prayer) then of course the corporate or combined, congregated worship of the church is prayer.

Maybe you can wrap your heart around that pretty easily, but check out the next phrase. “All of our prayers are supplications.” Whether is a prayer of adoration (worship), which I have already done a scant definition of, or a prayer of intercession, thanksgiving, confession, etc., it is ultimately supplication. Why? Because in praying we are portraying our reliance on One Who is above us Who has absolute authority to grant our request or plea, i.e. glorify Your Name.

As I said, Pastor David will flesh it out much more eloquently on Sunday, but here is a place to start for you as you consider supplication. I know you are praying. The invitation to pray even more is one the way, from Pastor David this week, and from me early in the New Year. Get ready.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott