The Ministry of Prayer - 2019

 Dr. Paul Manuel—2019

 

     Because MS confines me to bed, many of my previous pastoral duties—like preaching, teaching, and visiting—are no longer possible for me. Thankfully, God has preserved my mind, enabling me to continue writing and to participate in one other aspect of ministry unhindered—praying. No longer must I divide my time among several competing and equally demanding responsibilities. Now there are fewer things I must do and a few things I may do as much as I want.

     I am very glad that I was able to devote considerable time studying the spiritual discipline of prayer earlier (see Bibliography) so that I could expend my efforts efficiently later. My understanding of its limitations manages my expectations of its results and helps to avoid disappointment when some petition remains unfulfilled. More importantly, my appreciation of its great potential encourages me that my ministry can still have a positive affect despite physical constraints.

     There is a temptation to assume the end of one’s ministry signals the end of one’s productivity. That need not be so. As long as God gives me the mental acumen, I can pray, and if I can pray, He allows me the privilege of being productive in the advance of His kingdom, a most worthy endeavor. I can still help people, perhaps more than before. There is, of course, a need for patience, because the outcome of this effort may not be—and probably will not be—evident to me in this life. That is, I may not know if my petition for this person or my plea for that problem has any positive affect. I can only trust that God is somehow able to transform my utterings into action as He sees fit. That is another consolation in this venture, that God is not only attentive to me (an amazing concept) but that He translates my frequently incoherent rantings into beneficial results. This too amazes me:

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the

Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (Rom 8:26)

     I am very grateful that my malady is not painful, that, unlike my wife, a typical day is not an uninterrupted torrent of discomfort only medication can mitigate. Consequently, I am able to concentrate for long periods, a necessary prerequisite for productive writing and a helpful one for extended sessions of prayer. One of the difficulties many people experience when they pray is to stay on task, to keep their mind from wandering. Thankfully, that is not a common problem when I pray. I am usually able to stay on topic. That is not to say my mind never veers off course. It does but not too far or for too long that I cannot bring it back again. In any case, the key to prayer of any duration is persistence.

 

The Ministry of Prayer

     Prayer allows me to continue in ministry even though many aspects of my previous involvement are no longer possible. It means I can still have a positive influence on people, helping them move ever closer to the goal God has set before them. Most importantly, this spiritual discipline is available to anyone who has a relationship with God. Prayer is an open invitation to come before the Lord of the universe.

 

 

Bibliography

 

Manuel, Paul http://paulwmanuel.blogspot.com

     2001       “Praying in Private” (Luke 5:16) [Devotional]

     2003      “The Value of Prayer” (Dan 10:1-14). [Sermon]

     2004a     “Jesus’ Last Prayer Meeting” (Matt 26:31-46), a sermon in the series Messages from Matthew on the Ministry of Jesus.

     2004b    “Prayer: A Demanding Discipline” (Matt 26:36-46), a sermon in the series Messages from Matthew on the Ministry of Jesus.

     2005      Praying through Tough Problems: Biblical Models for Arguing with God.

     2007      “Praying for Those in Harm’s Way” (1 Sam 12:23). [Sermon]

     2008      Praying through the Bible: A Reporter’s Investigation.

     2008      “Acts of Righteousness—Praying” (Matt 6:5-15), a sermon in the series Messages from Matthew on the Ministry of Jesus.

     2008      “Should you adopt the prayer of Jabez?” an excerpt from Judges: The Struggle for Autonomy.

     2012a     “The Foremost Communication” (Eph 6:18), a sermon in the series What Is Foremost?

     2012b    “What Are You Praying for the Church?” (Col 1:3-14). [Sermon]

     2018a     “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer” (John 17:1–26). [Sermon]

     2018b      “Only by Prayer” (Mark 9:14-29). [Sermon]

     2019          “What to Pray” (2 Chr 20:1-13). [Sermon]