Summary: A doctor once asked an elderly woman in England, "If I asked God for five pounds, would I get it?" The woman replied, "If you were introduced to the Prince of Wales, would you ask him for money at once?" "No,” he said, “Not till I knew him better." "Well," remarked the woman, "you will need to know God a great deal better before you can expect Him to answer your prayer." Someone commented on this incident by observing, "Many people presume to ask God for things upon mere acquaintance with Him." Isn’t that often the case? Prayer is simply a serious relationship as two friends talking together. The Bible is God’s side of the conversation. When we read the Scriptures, we find ourselves whispering a petition. When we pray, God’s Word comes to mind. When we listen to His Word, our soul bows in adoration. We understand God’s thoughts. Read the prayers of the heroes of the faith in the Bible. Moses, Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel – they all spoke God’s words back to Him. These are the prayers God especially delights to answer. As you pray for those that you are trying to reach with the Good News, let God bring Scriptures to your mind. Then, pray them back to God as they apply to you. You can start with the Lord’s Prayer, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done.”
