Hope! Praying His Word: Praying His Word, #3

By John Wile

Can we live without hope?  Not very well.  And the hope from God is unsurpassed.  It's not a maybe, it's sure and certain.  Hope gives life to everything we do.  It increases our trust in God, it increases our love for others.  We can't have too much of it.  Of course, this hope is so powerful because it's not a thing - it's a "Who"!  It's Jesus Christ himself.  God's desire is to give us this joyful, confident anticipation when he calls us into a relationship with his Son.  These prayers have been created that we might have an ongoing conversation with the One who gives us hope and is our hope.  Each prayer is an opportunity for us to respond to him in light of his gift.

 

This prayer book is unusual.  If you've used a devotional, you know that, normally, we read it and we're done.   Our hearts may or may not connect with what we've read.  But these 31 prayers are not designed for passive reading.   There are four parts each day: (1) a selected passage of Scripture, (2) a short comment that helps to understand and appreciate what the passage is saying, (3) a reflective question that causes a person to stop and think, (4) a prayer which incorporates whatever the reflective question unearthed.

 

The reflective question makes all the difference.  That's where the Holy Spirit works.  He takes that passage of the Word of God and begins to move in our hearts.   As we ask ourselves the reflective question with an attitude of openness to the Holy Spirit's promptings, we discover a more honest awareness of our own hearts, its needs, its desires, and we see more clearly into the character and goodness of God.  And then, by the work of the Spirit with the Word, we find ourselves wrapped into a richer appreciation of God himself and his care for us.

 

This is volume 3 in a growing list of "31 day prayer books" from the series "Praying His Word."  

1. Joy!  Praying His Word
2. He Speaks!  Praying His Word
3. Hope!  Praying His Word
4. Father, Son & Spirit!  Praying His Word

• Language: English
• Publisher: HOLOFO productions
• Release date: Jun 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201050528

John Wile

John Wile is recently retired from Barnabas International where, for several decades, together with his wife, Kathryn, as a pastoral team, they served cross-cultural workers in multiple countries around the world.  Prior to serving with Barnabas International, John was pastor of congregations in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Recently John has been part of a team creating equipping curriculum for Shepherd’s Apprentice, a ministry of Barnabas International.  He has also been helping to produce discipleship material for the family ministry in their local congregation.  Their family includes two adult children, a daughter-in-law and an ever delightful granddaughter.

Book preview

Day 1:  Hebrews 12:28

...we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken...

Comment

These 31 days are prayers of hope.  But what is hope?  In common English ‘hope’ has two components.  It describes something (1) we would like to happen, but (2) we’re not sure if it will; as in, I hope I’ll be able to meet my friends tonight.  But the Hebrew & Greek words that are translated by the English word ‘hope’ are different.  As in English, they refer to something we long for.  But, unlike English, these original words describe this object of our affection as sure and certain, something that cannot be shaken.  There simply isn’t an English word that includes both of those ideas. Only a phrase will do. So, throughout these 31 days of prayer, every time you see the word ‘hope’, it will be helpful to substitute a phrase such as sure and certain hope or joyful, confident, anticipation.

Reflective Question

What is it like to contemplate afresh that this Kingdom of Jesus Christ, into which God brings us, is not a maybe, not a probably, but is our sure and certain hope, our joyful, confident anticipation; that it cannot, by anyone or anything, be shaken?

Prayer of Hope

Oh LORD, everywhere I look I see instability and disintegration.  But your Kingdom is unshakeable because you are unshakeable.  Your promise to receive me into your Kingdom through the mercy of your Son Jesus Christ is sure and certain.  As I think on this... (your response to the reflective question goes here).  May your Holy Spirit keep whispering sure and certain and joyful, confident, anticipation about you and about every promise you make.