Act of Submission and Dependency
Prayer Series Part 3 – Act of Submission and Dependency
People are motivated to pray when they want something from God. Is that what the Bible says is why God wants us to pray? Jesus provides clear instructions when it comes to prayer. In perhaps His most well-known public address, Jesus shared his Sermon on the Mount, which became known to us as The Lord’s Prayer.
(Go back to Read Part 2: An Act of Obedience)
Let us pause for a moment of our needs and join us in praying Jesus’ original words, the “Lord’s Prayer now.”
AVEE-NOO SHE-BA-SHA-MAI-YEEM, YEET-KA-DESH SHEEM-CHA,VE-YEET-BA-RECH MAL-CHOOT-CHA, RE-TSON-CHA YEE-H’-YEA-SUI BA-SHA-MAI-YEEM OO-VA-A-RETS, VE-TEE-TEN LACH-ME-NOOTE-MEE-DEET, OO-ME-CHOL LA-NOO CHA-TO-TAY-NOOKA-A-SHER A-NACH-NOO MO-CHA-LEEM LA-CHOT-TEEMLA-NOO, VE-AL TE-VEE-AY-NOO LEE-DAY NEES-SA-YON,VE-SHOM-RAY-NOO MEE-KOL RAH, A-MEN. (Source)
In English
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom comes, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Therefore, give us this day our daily bread. And forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine are the kingdom, power, and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
In Tagalog
Ama namin, sumasalangit Ka, Sambahin ang ngalan Mo, Mapasaamin ang kaharian Mo, Sundin ang loob Mo, Dito sa lupa, para nang sa langit. Bigyan Mo kami ngayon ng aming kakanin sa araw araw. At patawarin Mo kami sa aming mga sala, Para nang pagpapatawad namin, Sa mga nagkakasala sa amin. At huwag Mo kaming ipahintulot sa tukso, At iadya Mo kami sa lahat ng masama. Sapagkat Iyo ang kaharian, at kapangyarihan, At ang kadakilaan, magpakailanman. Amen.
Jesus’ prayer emphasizes a prayer to praise God, to submit to the will of God, to lean upon Him for daily needs, and the toughest forgiveness and deliverance.
We have to focus more on the Blesser than the blessings, on the Promiser and not on the promise. Jesus’ prayer focuses on honoring God and our salvation than the needs which our great provider will give us on His time and without delay. God is the sustainer of all our needs and not a provider of what we want. Though sometimes, what we want turns into needs, and that is something we have to thank Him for. If “the Father knows what you need before you even ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).
Why do we have to ask if God already knows what we need? What would you do if we got what we wanted without asking? Will you still depend on Him? Will you still try to grow with Him? Will you still seek His face?
Many people that succeed in life think that their success comes from their hard work and owes no one, and when they fail, they have to blame someone if not themselves. You should not be hard on yourself; our culture dictates it; everyone is convinced that when we work hard, we can be self-sufficient, but that doesn’t mean that our spirit of humility will come to pass.
People’s attitude is that the more we succeed, the more we want to be closer to God; but it doesn’t work like that; Life has ups and downs, and that’s how our love for Him can be measured. “So do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 (ESV).
We do not own anything permanent on this earth. Even our flesh is just a borrowed vessel. Our natural home is where God is, and He wants us there, so do not be self-conceited, egomaniacal, or hard-hearted. Humble yourself and pray. King Solomon, in his advanced age, declared that he had seen everything that is done under the sun, and all is vanity and a striving after the wind; Life is meaningless, and all his substantial wealth and assets earned from hard work will only be left to someone that doesn’t have a part of this hard work.
Why is it so hard for the rich to face the reality that life begins and ends? It has alpha and omega; life is not forever. It has to end somehow.
We should listen to King Solomon, who prayed to God and received knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from God. He was blessed by God and enjoyed his youth, but now in ancient age, it seems that He cannot just leave the world without saying what he felt “vanity of vanities all is vanity; life is vanity.
William Shakespeasaysote, “The world is like a stage where men and women play a specific role: there is an entrance to the stage and perform what they are assigned to act and exit the stage when they finish doing their part.
Now that the king is in advanced age and the play has to end and the curtain has to come down, like Job, King Solomon declared that life is nothing without God; God’s laws must be kept, whether keeping them results in happiness or sorrow. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 (ESV).
Prayer requires us to admit our dependency on God, and perhaps we also humble ourselves to admit that we don’t quite know everything and still need guidance and the right mind to understand it all.
According to Scripture, God is all-knowing, and his understanding has no limits. “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5). Our daily journeys are filled with distractions, expectations beyond imagination, and satisfaction that cannot be completed with our demands, and sometimes it is impossible to be filled.
The moment we realize that we cannot have it all, it is time to admit and acknowledge that only One knows it all and can do it all.
We should not let God wait for our moment to say, “God is our all” It should not happen that way; without any hesitation, we should profess our faith in God and confess that He is our all in all and go in a silent place where w are commanded and meet God the Father like Jesus often go to places where he can pray without distraction (Luke 5:16).
Jesus is always connected to the Father through prayer, so should we? Jesus told us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and your entire mind.” Luke 10:27
How can we stay connected with the Father if we will only speak to Him (LORD) when we need something? How can we say we love the LORD if we only speak to him rarely? And how can we justify our love for Him if we do not speak to Him at all?
Some people speak to their loved ones and avoid speaking to others they hate, which is natural to humans but may affect their spiritual walk with the commandments of love not being followed. Isn’t it that we are commanded to “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”—Luke 6:27-28
Faith, hope, and love can make a strong relationship with the LORD and deliver us from selfishness and arrogance to selflessness and humility. Through prayer, we grow more confident that God will provide whatever our heart desires, and our hope will not come out void and empty.
Constantly calling on His Name to adore Him and thanking Him is a great way to show our gratitude and acknowledge that without Him, we have no one to depend on. To know God in its fullness, we must know what image we are made of; are we pure, faithful, humble, and obedient?
To find out that we are ready to meet Him, we must ask Him through prayer. It should not be coming from your mouth but from the heart. If you never experience praying from your heart, it is never too late to give it a try now, and your prayer will be met with God’s delight. The prayer of the upright pleases him—(Proverbs 15:8). “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory—(Psalm 149:4). a Prayer is an act of humility that bears love and peace.
The will of the Father is to acknowledge His existence and praise and glorify Him through humility and love. Faith, Hope, and Love are the centers of His will. Together with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will all rejoice in the kingdom of God and His Christ.
Jesus, who guides us on our way to salvation and is a messenger of the word of truth, gave us hope of having a new life with the Father; when he reconciled us with Him and when everything is put under his feet, the Son Jesus himself will submit to His wholeness and fullness, and the Father will be all in all. The Father wants us to be with Him throughout eternity.
When we obey the will of the Father, the reward will be precious and everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Continue to Read Part 4: Posture in Praying
Part 1: Power of Prayers
Part 2: An Act of Obedience
Part 3: Act of Submission and Dependency
Part 4: Posture in Praying
Part 5: Answered Prayer
Part 6: House of Prayer
Part 7: In Jesus’ Name