I hope this letter finds your new year going well. I am recovering from Achilles tendon surgery which, of course, comes at the very worst time of year for this busy ministry. I am sure you can identify with that!
Yet, I am finding whole new ways to pray and trust our Father as I am more “dependent” than usual. Which brings me to my word of encouragement for you, from Andrew Murray.
He was a pastor in South Africa in the 19th century. Full of excitement about his work and love for the rural farmers and their families in his church, he was driven by a need to get “practical” in the way he loved and ministered to them.
He ended up being one of the most prolific writers about prayer that the world has ever known. This edition of our encouragement letter comes from his pen. I hope it puts fresh wind in your sails, as the saying goes, the way it does mine.
“And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you.” (Matthew 6:5, ESV)
"Jesus assures us that secret prayer cannot be fruitless. Its blessing will be evident in our lives. All we have to do is entrust our lives on earth to God when we are in secret and alone with Him. He will reward us openly and see that the answers to our prayers are made manifest in His blessing upon us. Our Lord teaches us that because God meets us in secret with infinite Fatherliness and faithfulness, we should meet Him with childlike simplicity of faith and be confident that our prayers will receive a blessing. ‘He that cometh to God must believe…that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ (Heb. 11:6). The blessing of the closet does not depend on the strong or fervent feeling with which I pray, but on the love and power of the Father to whom I entrust my needs. Remember your Father sees and hears in secret. Go there and stay there; then leave in confidence…"
- Andrew Murray, Alone with God, pg. 327
Prayer Request: Please pray for us at A Praying Life. We are busy trying to cover all of the seminars that were booked before I knew I needed this surgery. And, would you mind praying for us as we labor through all of the tasks, challenges and setbacks to get our first ever on-line course up and running on APrayingLife.com? We are most grateful!
Warmly,
Bob
Bob Allums
Director
A Praying Life Ministries
Comments