The Essence of Prayer

Hi friends, and welcome to today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional.

I'm Bill Crowder and I entitled today's Our Daily Bread reading, The Essence of Prayer. When Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States, he was tasked with leading a fractured nation. Lincoln is viewed as a wise leader and a man of high moral character, but another element of his makeup, perhaps, was the foundation for everything else. He understood that he was inadequate for the task at hand.

His response to that inadequacy? Lincoln said, quote, I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day, close quote. When we come to grips with the massive nature of life's challenges and the severe limitations of our own wisdom, knowledge or strength, we find, like Lincoln, that we're utterly dependent on Jesus, the one who has no limitations. Peter reminded us of this dependency when he wrote, cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. God's love for his children, paired with his absolute power, make him the perfect person to approach with our frailties. And that's the essence of prayer. We go to Jesus acknowledging to him and ourselves that we're inadequate and that he's eternally sufficient.

Lincoln said he felt he had, quote, nowhere else to go, end quote. But when we begin to comprehend God's great care for us, that's wonderfully good news. We can go to him. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from First Peter, Chapter five, verses six through 11. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you've suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. Let's pray. All sufficient God, we know that without you, we can do nothing. Thank you for always being with us, for perfectly knowing us and for being our true helper in times of need. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Bill Crowder and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.