Manner

The third prayer post in our freedom to COME, is our Manner. This comes as a direct result of what has been offered to us, our Offering. It is the manner in which we receive our offering, which is prayer. Never forget that prayer is of God, and it is His offering, His gift of grace to us, sinful, wicked and disobedient children. What then is our manner? It is to be one of a thankful heart. The text admonishes us of the manner we each must have.

Always asking him with a thankful heart.

Thankfulness is a response of love.

Let’s divert a bit and listen to Jesus, as He teaches and shows Simon, the Pharisee, a truth. Here is the parable of the Two Debtors.

Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Luke 7: 41- 42.

Be wise! Look carefully and listen attentively.

Simon is a friend of Jesus. There is no doubt about that, for no one is going to invite his or her enemy to dinner. Simon no doubt, gives Jesus the choice seat in his house and prepares a really nice meal for his Friend Jesus. I’m sure the conversations are uplifting, jovial and simply relaxing. It’s a beautiful dinner party, until a sinner woman, as in Simon’s eyes, comes and defiles it all. That’s when Jesus speaks this parable to His host and asks him this most piercing question. Now which of them will love him more. The point is that the one who loves more will have a more thankful heart. Is this not saying to us that unless we know and appreciate what Jesus has done for us, unless we know that His very gift of prayer, has come because of His Sacrificial Love, we will never be able to respond with true, thankful hearts? If, by grace through faith, we know this Love and let it inform our every move, then thanksgiving will form the basis and ceiling of our asking. Whenever we pray, we will be ever and always asking him with a thankful heart.

Returning to our scenario, Andrew Calls Jim, who receives an Offering from Andrew, which he accepts with a deeply grateful heart. Jim’s deep honesty in thankfulness, nothing of greed in its many evil forms, nor anything of false pride, shows his grateful heart. If we are thankful in heart, each time we seek God’s help with things that daily worry us and we do so thankful that we have a Loving Father who has offered us prayer and the grace to come to Him, then worry will not find any kind of accommodation in us, young or old.