Finding God’s Magnets: connecting in prayer

Fun Facts:

• Very strong magnets repel sharks.
• The earth’s magnetic field may help to guide migrating birds.
• The northern lights are due to magnetism of the earth.
• According to legend, the emperor of China used magnets to save his palace by constructing gates made of loadstone (magnetic rock). The enemy soldiers wore armor made of metal which was attracted to the gates and prevented the soldiers from entering.
• Breakfast cereal is often fortified with iron. When my kids were young, I took a strong magnet (fridge magnets weren’t strong enough) and held it in the cereal bowl. The cereal followed my magnet around in the milk.
• Every electric appliance with an electric motor in it (from your electric toothbrush to your lawn mower) uses magnets to turn electricity into motion.

When we pray, our goal is to meet God. Touch Him. Connect with Him. So what attracts God?

Magnet #1: Faith. 

Luke 18:1-8 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man, Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying,‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward, he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” 

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”  He is looking for the kind of faith that keeps coming back.

Trust God and never, never, never give up. 

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God doesn’t respond to our needs as much as He responds to our faith. Luke 4:25-7 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. (Why her? She had faith.) And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” (Why him? He had faith.)

Magnet #2: Helplessness/humility.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Are you hurting? Tell it to Jesus. He cares.

A broken heart happens when others hurt you or when you lose something or someone you love. A contrite spirit is when you feel terrible and repent of all the stupid and wrong stuff you have done to others. Either way, God’s arms are around you.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Even if you don’t know the words, God understands your need.

2 Corinthians 12:9 Paul writes. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In Luke 21 Jesus was attracted to the poor widow who put “two mites” in the offering. It was a tiny amount of money, but it was all she had. He acknowledged her sacrifice. 

Acts 10 tells about Cornelius “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.” Cornelius and his family were the first gentiles to be saved in the early church.

Giving and sacrifice mean more than money.  Hebrews 13:15 says Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Are you having trouble? Praise Him! You don’t feel like it? Praise Him anyway.

When we give in the offering, He sees. When we go to church even though we don’t feel like it or reach out to that difficult person or make hard choices that put God first in our lives, He notices. He will reward you for your sacrifice. 

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Two requirements for pure religion: First, “visit orphans and widows in their trouble.” “Visit” doesn’t just mean to go say “hi.” It means to help them – with money, time, concern, and love. The second part of that verse, “keep oneself unspotted from the world,” leads into magnet #4.

Magnet #4: Being righteous (doing what is right, obeying God)

All throughout the Word of God, there is promise after promise and blessing after blessing that is reserved for “the righteous.” Righteous means doing what is right. If God says it, do it.

• The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17) Is there sin in your life? Stop it, and God will hear.
• I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging bread. (Psalm 37:25) Your children will be blessed if you obey God.
• Blessings are on the head of the righteous. (Proverbs 10:6).
• God’s ears are open to the righteous. (I Peter 3:12).

Micah 6:8 includes several magnets: He has shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, (do right) to love mercy, (give) and to walk humbly (humility) with thy God?