Weekly Devotion - February 3, 2012

"I want men

everywhere to lift up

holy hands in prayer, without anger

or disputing."

1 Timothy 2:8 NIV

Let's spend a couple of minutes thinking about prayer. Specifically, how's your prayer life? Do you pray daily? Often? Do you pray about all things? Or just the "big" things? How long do you normally spend in prayer each day? Have you ever spent an hour in prayer?

I get it! You pray about the uncertainties. You pray about the big decisions. You ask the Lord to bless your day, your food, and your sleep. You want to pray more. You want to pray more effectively.

This verse doesn't answer all our questions nor does it give us a step by step guide to prayer. But look closely at a few of the words: everywhere, holy hands, without anger, without disputing.

None of us are exempt from the need to pray. No matter who you are or where you are, you are to pray. The simple point is that we all need prayer.

Do you take much time to confess your sins when you pray? I'm not talking about a general "forgive me of my sins both known and unknown" kind of confession. Do you talk about your specific sins and your struggles with them when you pray? Are hands are to be holy hands and that's not possible if we don't get serious about confession.

An angry person makes an angry pray-er. Now, I understand that you'll get angry from time to time. Prayer is not supposed to be a venting session with God - although he'll listen. Too often we are angry when we enter the prayer closet and angry when we come out. You must get past your anger and heal.

I wonder what Paul meant when he said we are to pray without disputing. Disputing with who? With God? Surely not! With others? Let's focus on God's grace and goodness in our prayers.

Ask God to help you pray lifting holy hands without anger or disputing.