My Aunt Martha taught the Sunday School this about prayer: “If you’re going to be late for school, don’t kneel down in the street and pray. God isn’t going to stop the school bell from ringing. Run as fast as you can and pray while you’re running. You might get there in time.”  Aunt Martha’s spiritual insight was that the purpose of prayer is not to get God to do miracles for us, but to bless and strengthen us in what we do.

Martin Luther said something similar in his explanation to the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done also by us. . . . God’s will is done . . .when He strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and faith even until we die.”

Prayer is a dangerous activity. Praying that God’s will be done means committing ourselves to do God’s will. We can’t begin to do that without the grace of God, but we can be certain that God gives us that grace. Even when you’re running as fast as you can and feel like you’re still in the same place, God is with you. Just keep praying while you’re running.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne