“Stan,” I asked, “I know that the Bible says we are to pray without ceasing, but do you think there comes a time when we are to stop praying?”
“I think there is, where you are talking about a specific matter,” Stan replied, “and I saw that very thing this morning when I was journaling about something in Matthew’s gospel.”
“What was that?” I asked.
“Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had been praying to His Father about what He was going to face in going to the cross.”
“I remember,” I replied. “Jesus had asked His Father to spare Him if possible, but if not, Jesus would do what His Father wanted.”
“Thats right,” Stan said. “And after Jesus had asked His Father three times, He went back to His sleeping disciples and said to them that it was time to get up and get going. Jesus said, in essence, the time for praying was over.”
“I have never understood,” I replied, “how the disciples could be sleeping while Jesus was going through what He was in the Garden.”
“That’s another subject for another day,” Stan replied. “The point here is that Jesus prayed, got the answer, and it was time to get going.”
“Too often,” Stan continued, “I pray and I do not like the answer I get, so I keep on praying rather than obeying. There is, I think, a clear time for me to accept God’s answer, whatever it is, and move on in obedience.”
He then added, “I have the answer, so it is time to get going. It doesn’t mean I am to not stay in contact, as in praying without ceasing, but for the particular matter, the time for praying is over.”
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Arise, let us be going. Matthew 26:46.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that you allow me to come before you in prayer. Thank you that you answer my prayers. I confess that too often I do not like the answer and keep on praying rather than moving on in obedience. Please forgive me. Please, Lord, open me to hear, understand, accept, embrace, and obey your every answer. Help me to truly live a life of obedience in following your will, not mine when it is contrary to yours. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 