Prayer Part 2

I love when there is uninterrupted communion with God. There is something to be said for the peace that it brings and the joy that is most satisfied when experiencing his presence. I ask God to increase my faith, and really that comes to fruition when I pray. Muller said it best when he stated that "real faith is manifested by prayer." Muller would argue that his faith really increased when He was in the presence of God and saw God touching and moving within his life. He was able to risk and do things for God that would not have otherwise been done or even tried if he had not taken the time to seriously seek God. He writes that he took three hours to pray through Psalm 64 and 65 and watched God take into account his prayers.

I love the honesty and investment that this man took on through prayer. God never left his side and was faithful to provide because Muller was faithful to give up his life for God. Rather fitting when I read Matthew 17.20-21.

He replied (Jesus), "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

In the Greek, the word faith is pistis which literally means persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself.

I have been thinking about this passage in a different light as of late. I researched through a number of passages and realized that the word in the Greek for faithfulness is the same as the word faith. Now I read the passage with the translation for the word faith with faithfulness.

He replied (Jesus), "Because you have so little faithfulness. I tell you the truth, if you have faithfulness as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Interesting how this passage is now read in a different light. Taken in with the whole passage and what Jesus is teaching I find that this use of the word may provide a better understanding of what God expects when we pray. This verse comes out of the context of some of the disciples trying to cast demons out in the name of Christ. They ask why they cannot succeed in the exorcisms. Jesus then answers them with this saying. I find it interesting that there are many times in today's times where people just say, "oh if you have more faith then God will answer," yet they treat God like some vending machine that they only come to when they need something from it. Why would God honor a prayer by someone who's relationship with Him consists of just coming to Him periodically and there is no real lasting relationship.
This is where I think this passage really fits with this insight. These people had no idea what it was like to have faithfulness be apart of their lives. They were wanting to use God when they needed him and lacked the real meaning of knowing God. That's why before he heals the possessed man, Jesus says "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?" In essence, how long must I watch you be unfaithful and then come to me when you need something. They did not believe that Christ was something worth living for. That He was the reason for life and living. Because they did not truly believe that, they did not live like it either. This was the cause of their unfaithfulness.

Muller knew what faithfulness in his relationship with God was all about. Not that he never messed up or made a mistake, but that he was consistent in his walk. He was faithful to look to God and desire to know the will of God and know His heart. Because of his faithfulness to God, God was faithful back in answering his prayer. For example, once a girl left home on bad terms with her parents. She didn't call or talk to them for some time. Things became rough for her and so she called her parents asking for money. Based on this evidence, the only reason the girl called home was because she needed something. What should the parents do? Oblige their daughter and let her use them? Do you even think the parents would be willing to help her out after her actions dictated her desire to not have them be a part of her life? Take another instance. What if this same girl had left on good terms and her and her parents shared a mutual relationship define by love and acceptance. If the same storm hit her life, I would think that the parents would be more inclined to help her in this case.

Sometimes we try and take advantage of God. We just expect things from Him because He is God. In essence we make a mockery of Him. We expect Him to answer us even when we are not truly expressing our need of Him in our life. I just think about how I would react if I were God and were treated like I treat Him....Convicting thought.

All this to say that I believe that faithfulness has a big role in answered prayer. I find that convincing in the life of George Muller.