Friday, December 31, 2010

Pray with Boldness

"Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose." (Acts 16:25-26--The Message).

Can you imagine the reaction of the other prisoners when the chains fell off and the prison doors opened? Some would have been shocked, others maybe ecstatic, while I am sure there were some that were puzzled as to how that happened, but Paul and Silas had a different response. They didn't move. They prayed boldly and they knew God would handle the situation. They didn't know how he would handle it, but they had confidence that God would handle their crisis. It really wasn't their place to break the chains and make a mad run for it. They had done all that was necessary by praying boldly. Now they awaited God's perfect answer and continued their work of telling other's of Christ's love.

This short story of how God works should not surprise us. It should teach us a couple of things: God is always in control and great things will happen if we continue to pray with boldness.

As we enter a New Year, let us each commit to praying boldly. Life will always hand us situations which we, with our own human minds, cannot figure a way out. That may come in forms of illness, relationship issues, employment issues, issues within our churches, or spiritual battles. Whatever it may be, know this: if we boldly pray, God will open the doors. We don't just run out, but we wait for his leading. He has never let us down, why would we think He would now? He is a faithful God, what He promises, He will deliver! Maybe, we just need some boldness when we pray and then stand amazed in His presence.