17th july 2008

July 17, 2008

Why Pray?
READ: Luke 11:1-13

When [Jesus] had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. —Matthew 14:23

As a journalist, I have spent time with famous people who make me feel very small. I rarely sleep well the night before and have to fight a case of nerves. I wonder what I would do if seated at a banquet next to, say, Albert Einstein or Mozart. Would I chitchat? Would I make a fool of myself?

In prayer I am approaching the Creator of all that is—Someone who makes me feel immeasurably small. How can I do anything but fall silent in such presence? How can I believe that whatever I say matters to God?

The Bible sometimes emphasizes the distance between humans and God and sometimes the closeness. Without question, though, Jesus Himself taught us to count on the closeness. In His own prayers He used the word Abba (Daddy), an informal address that Jews had not previously used in prayer. A new way of praying was born.

Jesus understood better than anyone the vast difference between God and human beings. Yet He did not question the personal concern of God, who watches over sparrows and counts the hairs on our heads. He valued prayer enough to spend many hours at the task.

If I had to answer the question “Why pray?” in one sentence, it would be, “Because Jesus did.” — Philip Yancey

If Jesus needed to pray, how can we do less?

For those studying: remember to pray that God will renew your strength and keep you from the temptations of the evil one!!!

Another day another story to tell... running 5km technique:

• run at a moderate pace
• dont stop running!

13 times around a 400m track... around 6 your mind starts telling you to quit, around 10 you lose all thoughts and just run, at 13 you start sprinting....











And you did it

^^




This one kept me going when all things turned blur:

Think about His love, think about His goodness
Think about His grace that's brought us trough
For as high as the heavens above
So great is the measure of our father's love
Great is the measure of our Father's love
So great is the measure of our Father's love

How could I forget His love
And how could I forget His mercies
He satisfies, He satisfies, He satisfies my desires

Think about His love, think about His goodness
Think about His grace that's brought us trough
For as high as the heavens above
So great is the measure of our father's love
Great is the measure of our Father's love

Great is the measure
Great is the measure
Great is the measure
Great is the measure of our Father's love
Great is the measure of our Father's love

"Father i pray that as i continue my walk with you, you will give me faith to believe that you are God, wisdom to discern your blessings from temptations, strength to carry on, and in my boldness and humility i come before you to ask you to provide; allow me to reconcile any hurts and pains in my past, that i may come before you with a heart ready to worship you."

AMEN

In his service,

Jeremy Pan