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Summary: Are our prayers pleasing to God? What are the things that we ask God for when we go to Him in prayer? May our prayers be faith-filled and our petitions in accordance with God’s will so that our prayers are pleasing and acceptable to God.

Our meditation for today is based on Ephesians 5:10, “Try to learn what pleases the Lord.” (ERV)

The above mentioned verse exhorts us to find out what are those things that are pleasing to God, and to lead such kind of lives that God would delight in. It is an unchanging fact that God loves us, and will always lavish His love on us. However, we are going to consider, ‘Who are the ones that God is pleased with?’ If there are two children in a family, a good parent will bestow equal love and affection on both of them. Nonetheless, the child who fulfills the expectation of the parents will be the one whom they are elated about. So also, though God is loving towards all of His children, we will try to understand what those things are that we can do, in order to please God.

We live in times wherein many have a faulty perception that they can do anything they want and live anyway they like, because God is gracious and loving. We know that one cannot do anything to get rid of our sins, and that is why Jesus the sinless Son of God came down to take our sins on Himself. There are so many who are content that they have accepted Jesus into their hearts, received the assurance of salvation, are confident that God is with them, attend church, read the Bible, and pray regularly. However, it is crucial that we go deeper to find out what is truly pleasing to the Lord. It is a fact that the love that God has for us is not based on our works, but the Lord is looking for those who will please Him in all they do.

1. Pray for God’s wisdom

God was pleased with Solomon

There is an incident recorded about King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:5, “At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."” (ESV)

The Lord appeared to Solomon who was King over Israel, and asked him to ask for anything that he wanted, and God assured him that He would give it to him.

If God were to ask us this same question that He asked Solomon, I wonder what our request would be. Let us not presume that this was the only place where God made this kind of an offer to a man.

We read in John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son.” (GNB)

The same assurance that King Solomon received in the Old Testament the Lord Jesus is offering to believers in the New Testament. However, the question is, ‘What do we ask God for when we pray to Him?’ ‘What are our requests to God?’ and ‘What do we truly desire?’

Solomon’s desire

This was Solomon’s request as recorded in 1 Kings 3:9,“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (ESV)

King Solomon asked God for a heart of wisdom. One translation in English says, Solomon asked God for a God-listening heart. A heart that knows the heart of God, listens to the voice of God, and does the will of God, so as to walk in the ways of God. Solomon could have asked for anything he wanted, but Solomon only asked God for a heart of wisdom. The wisdom of Solomon was renowned all over the world, because Solomon asked for the right thing from God.

Today we have to evaluate our prayers, to see, ‘What are the things we are praying for?’, and ‘What do we desire to receive from God?’

God’s response to Solomon

We read in 1 Kings 3:10, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.” (ESV)

When Solomon requested that God grant him wisdom to rule the people well, this thing pleased the Lord. Remember that King Solomon asked for wisdom from God so that God’s name would be glorified and honored.

What are those things that we are praying to God about? If you look at it most of it is all for our personal gratification. Instead, we too like Solomon should desire that God should give us a heart of wisdom. We go to God in prayer with our lists which include blessings, health, finances, jobs etc. Let us confess to the Lord that we have not learnt to pray as we ought to pray.

The Prayer Jesus taught

As Jesus taught His disciples to pray, the first thing He taught them was to pray saying, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’ The primary focus of prayer is that the name of God should be glorified in our lives in all we say and do. The second aspect is ‘your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ God’s kingdom is one of order and discipline where His will alone is done. May this too be our prayer that God’s will should be fulfilled in our lives here on earth, just as it is done in heaven. It is crucial that we too should ask God to teach us to pray in the right way.

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