Daily Devotional, Sept 7, 2023 The power of prayer

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." 1 John 5:14

Praying is one of the things that most of us mothers teach our kids early on in their lives. We teach them that it is something that they should do everyday, every meal, and every Sunday when we go to church to worship. If only to emphasize the power of prayers, we teach our kids to pray for almost everything, thank God for every blessing and pray in every situation.

Unfortunately though, as we age, we adults tend to forget what we have been taught as kids, and what we preach to our own children. We tell them we need to pray, and we ourselves pray, yet when faced with life difficulties we get desperate as if we do not have a God that listens to us.

In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul urged the church there to pray in both the good and bad times “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

A lot of people succumb to anxiety and depression because they rely on their own power, position, skills and resources to address their problems. But as Christians, we are assured that the most powerful being in the universe, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, hears our call for help. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16  

And whether He answers it right away, or asks us to wait for His good timing, we can be sure that he is there. That we can ask for guidance in everything “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:5-6)

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on James 5:14-16 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you experienced the power of prayer?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, we praise and thank you for giving us a personal and direct access to you through prayer. Teach me to fully trust in the power of prayers because it is my way of communicating with you. Give me the confidence to surrender everything to you as I say my prayers each day. Amen.