My
Morning Prayer: The Promises of Prayer, Part 3
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
Imagine a hiker is on a walk in the mountains. It’s a nice day in
late fall when he begins his hike. Unexpectedly, the weather changes and the
temperature drops. Storm clouds gather. The hiker begins to look for shelter.
Ahead of him, a few hundred yards off the main trial, he notices a log house.
When he arrives at the house he knocks on the door. There is no
answer. As he wonders what to do, the storm begins to unleash its furry.
Temperatures plunge, the wind increases and snow begins to fall. The house is
the hiker’s only chance to escape the storm. He walks around the house and
looks through a few windows. To his delight, he sees food supplies on the
shelves, bottled water on the kitchen table, blankets on a chair, warm clothing
hanging from hooks on the wall, and a tall pile of firewood next to the
fireplace.
Everything the hiker needs is in the house: food, drink, dry
clothing, warmth, comfort, shelter. But he can’t get in. He has no key, and the
windows and doors are locked. Frustrated, he decides to take another look
through a different window. To his surprise, he sees the figure of a man
sleeping in an easy chair in the corner of the living room. The hiker realizes
that the things he needs can be available to him if he can awaken the man and
get him to open the door and invite him in.
The hiker pounds loudly at the door and looks through the window
again. He sees the man beginning to stir and get to his feet. The hiker knocks
again, excited that help is on the way.
The
story of the hiker is not an illustration of what our relationship with God
looks like as believers in Jesus Christ. In fact, it is the opposite. We are
not trying to gain entrance into God’s house, and we do not
need to be “pounding on the door of His promises” hoping to get His attention
so we can receive what we need and find shelter from the storms of life.
As a
believer in Jesus Christ, you are already in the house. You
can’t entreat your way in through prayer, you can’t buy your way in through
giving, and you can’t earn your way in through serving. God
welcomed you and brought you into His place of refuge through grace the day you
gave your heart to Him. You are in Christ, not separated from Him; you are a
friend, not a stranger; you are an heir, not an alien; you are a child, not an
orphan, you are in the household of faith, not an outsider.
As
someone who is in God’s family, you have complete access to all God has
provided for you through His Son—every spiritual blessing is yours; you are
complete in Him; He is your life; He is in you and you are in Him; He is your
“yes” to every promise.
When
you bring your needs to God in prayer, ask, not as an outsider looking in, but
as a child who is living in his Father’s house. Ask in full assurance of faith.
And as you ask, hear Him say, “You will be satisfied with the fullness of My
house. Come drink at the stream of My pleasures...” (Psalm 36:8).
My Morning Prayer
-Marina Bromley
Father, God, thank you for welcoming me into your presence, inviting me to abide in your house, sitting with me and comforting me. Thank you for meeting and providing all that I need, even more than I could ask or think, even before I ask. Thank you for being my strong-tower, my rock and fortress, the only place I can trust! May my heart be changed to be more like yours as I spend time with you, reading your Word, and listening to your heart beat as I cling to you. When you move me beyond these walls, help me to draw strength from being with you to be your hands and feet in this hurting world. I want to love others the way you love them...the way you love me. In Jesus's name, amen.
#encouragementinprayer #mymorningprayer
#meetinginthemeadow #roylessin
©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by
Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
.jpg)
.jpg)