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PRAYER
TUTORIAL
“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the
joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?” 1 Thessalonians 3:9
“Praying
Scripture”
Praise
and thanksgiving are integral components of a balanced prayer life. Paul includes a reminder to give
thanks and to be thankful in his instructions to the churches in most of
his epistles. Paul also gives
us the example of thanksgiving in his written prayers. Jesus gave thanks as well in His
Own prayers. (John 11:41, Luke
24:30)
In Paul’s
first letter to the Thessalonian church, he begins “We always thank God
for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your
work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance
inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Thes. 1:2,3) Later in the same letter he says, “How
can we thank God enough for you?”
Here are
some suggestions for our prayers of thanksgiving:
o
Thank God that He hears us as
Jesus did in John 11:41.
o
Thank God for the faith of our
fellow-Christians.
o
Thank God for the work which this
faith has produced.
o
Thank God for the love of God we
see in our church family and our bishop and priests.
o
Thank God for the hope we and all
His church have in Him.
o Thank God for the endurance shown in the example of the
saints, both living and dead.
Throughout
the church year, we re-enact the “salvation history” of the people of
God. Each of us also has a
“salvation history.” We have
our own story of God’s work in our lives and His leading in the life of our
family.
For me,
that salvation history begins with a grandmother in Russia. She left her village as a teen, and
went to St. Petersburg, where she found work in the home of one of the
nobility. In that home there
were other servants who knew Christ.
Through this contact, she also came to know Christ.
God’s
provision for our family led that grandmother to leave Russia for the
United States; God led my
parents to leave the United States to become missionaries by radio to
their country of origin.
I thank
God for His guidance, protection and provision for my grandparents. I thank Him for His daily guidance,
protection and provision for my children, parents, in-laws. We as a family know and remember
God’s care and guidance.
We also
have a record of the salvation
history of St. Francis Church. We can review the evidence of God’s
presence in the life of our congregation and give thanks to Him. This is a good review, especially
at a time in our corporate life in which we are moving into the unknown and
are experiencing doubts and uncertainty!
Further Suggestions:
o
Review the salvation history of
your family.
o
Put it into written form, so it
can be passed on to future generations.
o
Remember to thank God for His
leading in your personal family and your personal life.
Back to
Prayer Corner
Intercessions
Please send your examples
and suggestions for “praying Scripture.”
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