Prayer Column - May 2021

Only if...

Photo by berenice martinez on Unsplash

The conditional ‘if’ is a big part of our lives:
· If you’re good all afternoon you can have an ice cream
· If you finish the marathon you’ll get a medal and a T-shirt

Effort is rewarded, but effort is essential to get the reward! Obvious, but not always popular: the naughty child screams for the ice cream anyway; levelling lobbies want everyone to get a prize, even for just starting.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that we rejoice in all the benefits that God promises, but sometimes tend to overlook the ‘if’ bits, such as in:
· (Jesus will) present us holy and blameless and above reproach before God, if indeed we continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that we have heard (Col 1:22-23).
· You are my friends if you do what I command you (Jn 15:14).

Sometimes the ‘if’ is implied, as in:
· The one who endures to the end will be saved (Mk 13:12-13).

The rewards of ‘enduring to the end’ are vast and glorious, but the Christian road is demanding and calls for serious commitment. However, remember that we are not alone: we have the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance anytime and always by prayer; we have each other for mutual encouragement as we all go through the mill; and we can be strengthened by praying for each other on the way.

Roy Lorrain-Smith

A prayer for each week

Dear Lord, I praise you for calling me to faith, but please help me now: I get tired, I get tempted. I need to sense your presence, urging me on. Amen.

Dear Lord, it all seemed so plain: I believed, and I promised to follow. But now it’s not so obvious. Many argue against – please convince me afresh. Amen.

Dear Lord, the world declares that I am wrong to believe all you did and all you taught. Please give me courage to hold my faith firm to the end. Amen.

Dear Lord, ‘Count the cost,’ you said, and now I see why! I do still believe, but I feel I’ve hit a brick wall. Please can you show me the way through. Amen.

Dear Lord, thank you so very much for others in the faith I know. I am so cheered by their example. Please help me to encourage others likewise. Amen.

Your own prayers