Prayer: A Yearning for His Involvement

“And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.”
2 Chronicles 15:15

This week concludes our short study on the theme of prayer. As we have sought to understand this great privilege, we have seen that prayer is a proclamation of our faith, a renouncing of our effort, and an acknowledgment of His ability. This week we need to understand that prayer involves a yearning for His involvement.

What a wonderful privilege it is that when we pray we are able to invoke God’s involvement in our affairs. He cares for our every need and promises to never forsake His own. We know that He is able, but do we invite the Almighty to be intimately involved in our lives? In our passage this week, God’s prophet came to God’s people and both pronounced a warning and also proclaimed a promise. The prophet warned God’s people not to forsake the Lord their God, and then promised that if they sought the Lord that He would be found (verse 2). When confronted with the warning and the promise, Asa and all of Judah sought the Lord with their whole desire. I think that phrase “sought Him with their whole desire” sums up for us the essence of prayer. We are invited to seek the Lord, to yearn or desire that He be involved in every area of our lives, our family, and our church.

The question that needs to be asked and answered is have you sought the Lord lately? Have you invited Him to be intimately involved in your affairs? We have a wonderful privilege, let’s not forsake it! May the Lord teach us to pray.

Pastor Jeffrey Bateman