I know, it doesn't quite sound right. We tell ourselves God can do whatever He wants and so He doesn't really need humans but amazingly, it would seem that while that is true, He has chosen to limit Himself and work through us.
I am reading this book by Dutch Sheets called Intercessory Prayer and it has helped me grasp some insight into the necessity of prayer. One thing that struck me was the possibility of serious consequence if we do not pray. While I am very far from understanding how God's will works, to see that I have a very active role to play in this coming about and that my inaction could lead to His will not being done. A passage which was quoted in this book in support of the fact that God needed for His people to pray and which struck me most was this:
" I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Soverign Lord." Ezek.22:30,31.
This seems to imply that while God wanted to show mercy to these people, no one was praying on their behalf and being a God of justice, He had to destroy them. I have to wonder if by not praying as I should, I am allowing the destruction of others. I have come to see with the author that God needs us to pray so that His will can be done. Jesus taught us to pray " your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
2 comments:
You're right, that is a weird saying but I think you put it well in saying "He has chosen to limit Himself and work through us." It still boggles my mind that God would rely on us for anything when He could do it so much better. My mom had a picture on our wall that said "When God wants something done in this world, He sends a baby and then... He waits." How amazing it is that God chooses to include you and I in His plans.
I've read some of that book by Dutch Sheets and it's pretty powerful stuff. Almost overwhelming. And it's not just prayer--there are so many needs around us each day that he sends us to take care of rather than dealing with directly. Thanks for sharing what you're learning.
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