Friday, December 9, 2011

Accurate Prayer Times of Servants and Prophets

Rebecca at the well
Image via Wikipedia-Rebecca at the Well
When is the accurate time 
to pray?
I treasure the books of the Torah and the prayer times of the prophet Moses. I treasure the story of Abraham's servant praying for divine help to fulfill a duty; his assignment was to identify God's choice for Abraham's son's wife-to-be. Recently taking a look at prayer in Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, thanks to BibleGateway on-line, I found specific verses about accurate times and reasons to pray

The accurate time to pray is when asked to help.
Numbers 11:2 - When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. Numbers 11:1-3 (in Context) 

The accurate time to pray is when others need intercession before God. 
Numbers 21:7 -The people came to Moses and said, We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us. So Moses prayed for the people. Numbers 21:6-8 (in Context) 
The accurate time to pray is when there is a duty to perform.
Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'

The accurate time to pray is after a meeting with a powerful person or persons.
Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 
Exodus 10:17-19 (in Context) 

The accurate time to pray is anytime.
Deuteronomy 4:7
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them 
the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

How shall we pray accurately? Abraham's servant prayed "from his heart." Surely that pleases God. Jesus began by thanking God outside Lazarus's tomb. He thanked God for hearing and answering prayer. Jesus taught disciples where, how, and what to pray:

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
   But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
    And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
   Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
   This, then, is how you should pray:
  
  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
   your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us today our daily bread.
    Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
    And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
   
 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
    But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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