A Journey With Prayer
Children's program
WHO - ME? DO A PROGRAM? Volume 2
Program Resources For Congregational Events
Leader's Helps
Bulletin:
Participants
A worship leader
A reader (Philippians 4:4--9)
* Optional leaders (4)
*To involve more people the leader's parts for Adoration, Con--fession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication may be assigned to individuals.
Hymns
"O Savior, Precious Savior" [ANGEL STORY] or
"Crown Him With Many Crowns" [DIADEMATA]
"O God, Our Help in Ages Past" [ST. ANNE]
"What a Friend We Have In Jesus" [CONVERSE]
"He Leadeth Me, Oh Blessed Thought"
This resource is designed for Lent, but may be used during Advent. Change bulletin and select songs appropriate for the season.
Skit:
Participants
Narrator Miriam
Job's wife Hannah
Mary Dorcas
Mary Magdalene
Props
Each character brings in one piece of the puzzle and places it on a poster or props it up in front of the audience. Miriam carries "P" - praise. Job's wife carries "R" - repentance. Hannah carries "A" - ask. Mary, Jesus' mother, carries "Y" - yielding. Dorcas carries "E" - earnest. Mary Magdalene carries "R" - receive. Cut out the pieces to fit together as a puzzle.
Dress the characters in costume for authenticity.
Bulletin
A Journey With Prayer
A Lenten Observance
Welcome And Greetings
Call To Begin The Journey
L: As pilgrims on a journey of faith, we look for God's guidance in all the seasons of our lives. Lent is a special season in the life of the church to listen to the One who guides us on that journey. We call upon the Holy Spirit to be present now as we begin our journey with prayer.
C: Come, Holy Spirit, and reveal the mystery of prayer. Amen.
Hymn "O Savior, Precious Savior"
or "Crown Him With Many Crowns"
Adoration
The First Step In Prayer
L: We step toward God in prayer through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
C: We praise you, Jesus, our Savior and King.
L: As we delight ourselves in Jesus, God will give us the desires of our hearts.
C: We adore you, Jesus, our heart's desire.
L: As we call to God in times of trouble, the Lord promises to rescue those who honor him.
C: We praise you, O God, for your deliverance.
L: Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray.
C: We praise you for hearing our call at all times, gracious Lord.
L: As we ask using the name of Jesus, we receive. As we seek God's will in Christ, we will find. As we knock at the door of heaven in prayer, Jesus will open the door and be present in all situations.
C: We praise you, great God, for hearing our prayers, for we pray in the name above all names, Jesus, our Lord and our King! Amen.
Confession
The Second Step In Prayer
L: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Confessing our sins prepares us to approach God in prayer. Let us examine our hearts in silence and make our confessions known unto God who forgives. (Silence for examination.)
L: Jesus tells us that if we abide in him, and his words abide in us, whatever we ask for in prayer will be done for us.
C: Forgive us for neglecting the study of your Word, O God.
L: The Word tells us to have confidence in the fact that if we ask anything according to God's will, he will hear us.
C: Forgive us for not trusting in your will for our lives, Holy God.
L: And if we know that God hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests we have asked for.
C: Forgive us for not seeing and receiving your answers, O God.
L: If those people called by God's name humble themselves, and pray, and seek God's face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will God hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.
C: Forgive us our lack of humility and our trust in other things besides you, O God. Teach us to pray and to seek your face as we turn from our sinful ways. Forgive our sins and heal our souls. For we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
L: Almighty God hears our cries and extends mercy to all who believe. In Christ Jesus, who died for our sins, we have forgiveness. To those who believe in Jesus, God gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Thanksgiving
The Third Step In Prayer
Reading Philippians 4:4--9
L: God's Word tells us to rejoice and be thankful. Let us raise our voices and declare thanks to a God who has helped in the ages past and is present now to do likewise.
Hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
Skit "The Puzzle of Prayer"
L: As we have heard from women who have seen God at work through prayer, let us look to the one friend we have who answers all our prayers and sing his praise in song. As we sing, we will collect our offering as a response to God's love shown us in Jesus.
Hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
(Offering collected)
Supplication
The Fourth Step In Prayer
L: As we have taken the steps to God in prayer of A - adoration, C - confession, T - thanksgiving, we make our final step S - supplication or intercession. We will now lift before God the prayers of our community. Let us rise and pray.
L: Jesus, we thank you that we can take everything to you in prayer. Thank you for being with our fellowship and worship today. Continue to call us to prayer. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: Holy Spirit, you breathe life into your body, the Church, and build communities of faith. Thank you for this community that we live in and for each community of faith represented. Continue to reveal yourself to us as we pray. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: Mighty God, we know you are present and moving in our lives and in our families. Continue to help us to be witnesses to the faith we have that you hear and answer our prayers. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: We pray now as a body lifting up to you our special prayers of intercession. (Community is invited to pray for special needs.) Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: The Lord has heard our prayers. Be at peace knowing that God is at work. We close with the prayer our Lord taught us to pray as we go forth to live that prayer in our world.
The Lord's Prayer
Benediction
L: Go forth as you continue your Lenten journey challenged by God to take time with him in prayer. Take every thought you have and make it a prayer. Wherever you go be in the attitude of prayer. Take God's hand and let him guide you as you go forth in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C: O God, lead us in prayer and acts of your love done in Christ's name. We praise you for your guiding hand, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn "He Leadeth Me, Oh, Blessed Thought"
Program
The Puzzle Of Prayer
Narrator: The noun "puzzle" can be defined as a toy or device created to test one's ingenuity. The verb "puzzle" means to bewilder mentally, or to disturb or baffle. God has given us a "puzzle" to occupy us today. That puzzle is prayer. In our journey, we will try to put together the pieces of this puzzle called prayer as we listen to six women from the Bible share their insights into this great mystery. God desires that prayer not baffle us. This program hopes to challenge each of you to explore its great mystery. Allow God to speak to your hearts on how you might go about enriching your own personal prayer lives. Our first piece to this puzzle is put into place by a woman from the Old Testament, Miriam.
Miriam: (enters and places a puzzle piece labeled "P" before the audience) Good morning, ladies. What a fine day to be with you. Mornings like this, when the community is gathered to praise and give thanks to God for his great and wonderful works, are special blessings. I remember one morning, though, when my heart ached as I watched my mother, Jochebed, place my baby brother, Moses, into a basket and hide it in the reeds along the Nile. Tears ran down her face as she committed her infant to God's care. Under the decree of Pharaoh, Hebrew boy babies were to be put to death at birth. But the midwives who tended our women were compassionate and helped them to flee with their newborns. We had hidden little Moses for three months, but now we could hide him no longer. What an answer to prayer we received as Pharaoh's daughter saw the basket and took Moses to be her own child. I ran forward to suggest a wet nurse for the baby. Pharaoh's daughter smiled at me. She knew I would place the baby with his own mother. After he was weaned, Moses went to court to be raised as an Egyptian. That was frightening for us, his family. You mothers who have sent children off to the big city or college can probably relate to how we felt. We offered prayers of praise and thanksgiving for God's care of this child. Even when circumstances looked like we had lost him to the gods of Egypt and the court, we praised God for accomplishing his plan in the life of Moses. And look what happened! Who would have believed that this baby, little Moses, would grow up to be the deliver of the nation Israel?
Prayer - a puzzle. The first piece of our puzzle concerns "praise." True praise and thanksgiving flow out of a recognition of the graciousness of God. By faith we believe God will act on our behalf. We praise God for who he is and for what he has done. I sang my praise to God after watching Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen enter the Red Sea. I took my tambourine, lifted it high, and praised God in song: "Sing to the Lord, for God is highly exalted. The horse and its rider, the Lord has hurled into the sea." (Shakes tambourine if she has one.) Praise - praise to an Almighty and Holy God who is doing great things. Praise is the first piece of our puzzle. Praise is the cornerstone of prayer. Praise God!
Narrator: Praise - a key ingredient in our prayer lives. Like Miriam and her mother, we often look at circumstances and feel defeated. Praising God in the midst of our difficult situations pleases the Almighty. For it is when we radically depend on God to act that the Lord can really move. Who would have believed that a little child would lead a nation to freedom in such a spectacular way as Moses did? Another mother looked upon her little child lying in a manger and beheld the glory of God. She praised God for this precious life. As she beheld that child, now a man, crucified, her heart broke. Yet praise she offered to God that his plan of salvation was complete. Let us incorporate praise into our lives of prayer. Now we will hear from our second woman from the Old Testament, Job's wife.
Job's Wife: (enters carrying a puzzle piece marked "R") Suffering, you can have it. Sorrow and suffering are not my choice of companions in life. I was really up front with that husband of mine. "Job," I said, as he sat there in the ashes scraping his sores with a piece of broken pottery, "Job, are you still holding on to your integrity? Just curse God and die." Now the Hebrew word for this is actually bless. I was being sarcastic. We had lost all our financial assets - our donkeys, sheep, camels - all our wealth - poof! Then our children. Oh, the pain. And then, Job's health took a drastic dive. That man of mine just looked at me as if I was morally deficient. I can still hear his words, "You're talking like a foolish woman. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" That really cut me to the quick. I was always ready to praise God in the good times, but it was really difficult to praise him in the tough ones. This caused me to pull up and examine my heart. I had to do some serious repenting for not trusting that God would be with me in both times. We live in a world full of sin and brokenness. Bad things do happen. But I praise God that as I sin, I can turn to him for forgiveness. That is what is called repentance, the second piece of our puzzle of prayer. We come to God with repentant hearts, honestly confessing our sins, and asking God to forgive. Then he restores us to a right relationship with himself once again. The rest of my story speaks for that restoration, for God blessed us with more wealth than we ever had before and seven sons and three daughters. And let me tell you, ladies, nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and Job gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. In my day that is real answer to prayer. Shalom. God's peace be with you as you place "repentance" into your own prayer puzzles.
Narrator: We are those daughters of Job who are beautiful in God's sight, for he has blessed us with a great inheritance also. In Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins and are reconciled to the Father because of Christ's death and resurrection. The key is repentance, turning from sin, and embracing God's love as found in Jesus Christ. So, let's look at our third puzzle piece brought to us by Hannah.
Hannah: (enters with third puzzle piece marked "A") I sure can relate to those first two women, as I'm sure you all can too. Praising God in the good times - I did that on my wedding day. What a celebration we had in that hill country of Ephraim. I made a beautiful bride, if I say so myself. Elkanah was a fine man even if he did have another wife. It was a custom in our times - I think thought up and ordained by males. This custom was hard to live with. Wife #2, Peninnah, was a real pain to me. Did you ever have someone who loved to irritate you? She had lots of children by Elkanah, but I had none. She delighted in rubbing salt into my wound. It was hard to forgive her for her cruel treatment. And that man of mine, "Don't you love me more than the idea of having a baby?" That was not the point. I loved God above all else, and I desired to express my love for him in life - raising a baby! So, I had to do a lot of repenting as I went up to Shiloh to make sacrifice. As I stood up pouring out all the bitterness of my soul to God, the priest Eli thought I was drunk. He watched me carefully as I sought God's will asking for a child. Misery and bitterness can be blockages to prayer. Repenting, I took the next step and asked God for a child. But because I knew that it would take a miracle from God to open my womb, I wanted to give glory to God for the answer. So I promised to give that child back to him. I kept that vow. Now all of you who do not know that God has a plan for your lives, listen up. Ask God to reveal it. Ask - the third part of prayer. I asked, and God rewarded me with a son, Samuel, and I kept my vow. That little child, like Moses, had a part in God's plan. He was to find and anoint the King of Israel, David. Samuel was a prophet/priest in Israel leading them under God's Spirit to repent of their sin. God wants you to ask. Don't think anything is too small or insignificant. He heard the desire of my heart because I expressed it. Go and express your desires to God in prayer. Ask and you will receive. Amen - so be it.
Narrator: God's Word tells us we have not because we ask not. It also declares whatever we ask for we will receive. Sometimes, however, we do not ask aright. Sometimes, we have other motives. Hannah asked out of a heart filled with love for God and after repenting. We ask according to God's will and through Jesus Christ. Praise - Repentance - Ask. Let's find out what our fourth piece of the puzzle of prayer is as we hear from Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Mary: (enters bringing a puzzle piece marked "Y") I can really relate to Hannah. Every Hebrew woman desired a son, to pass on the blessing of heritage for her husband. To be barren caused great pain then, as it does today for so many. But I wasn't even married yet. I was just betrothed when the angel Gabriel came and announced that I had found favor in God's eyes. That was good news. God thought highly of me, as he does each of you. But he certainly was asking a lot. What would I say to Joseph? What would my family think? Pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Right! Yet every Hebrew girl desired to have such favor - to be the mother of Messiah. That was a prayer on most of our lists. So here God came with the answer. What else could I do? I had prayed to God, praising him for his holiness. I repented of my sins; yes, I am a sinner too. I needed a savior just like all of you. And I had asked to be God's handmaiden. Now here was a messenger from the Lord asking my permission to have the life of God's own Son planted in my womb. My answer: I yield to you, O God. The fourth element of prayer, a yielded heart. God desires us to surrender, to lay down our tools of rebellion, to seek his will and not our own. My Son displayed this in his prayer in the Garden of Geth--semane, "Not my will, but yours, O God, be done." He yielded to God's plan; he yielded to the Cross. His submission brought salvation to all as he answered the Father's call. God called me to birth Jesus. My answer to God: "May it be to me as you have said." God seeks yielding from those who pray. Don't fight God's will. Trust that he knows best and yield to God's plan for your lives. May the glory of the Lord shine in your hearts as you let him plant the life of Jesus within. Shalom.
Narrator: God had a plan for each of the women you hear from today. Mary's example of a surrendered life speaks to God's desire to have us yield to his divine will. Mary quoted much of Hannah's song of praise as she magnified the Lord for what he would accomplish through her yielding. Their hearts and souls rejoiced in God, their Savior, for they submitted to his lordship. God calls us in prayer to surrender to Jesus, to place him on the thrones of our lives, to yield, letting him have his way in our hearts. Next we will hear from Dorcas who brings puzzle piece number 5.
Dorcas: (enters with puzzle piece #5 marked "E") Death has a way of stopping one in one's tracks. It's something we all share in common. When my life was over, my friends paid me high tribute. They mourned, but they also took pride in what I had earnestly done in service for God. That's our next element of prayer. Be "earnest." Just don't "talk the talk" with God. In other words, you can praise God, repent of your sins, ask and yield, but if you never take action on anything, that is, go about doing God's work in earnestness, you miss the mark. Being earnest is treating things as important. Prayer is not a trivial matter. I got down to business. I looked around in my city of Joppa and saw a great need. I earnestly sought God in how to meet that need. Then any way I could, I reached out to the poor with action. I encouraged others to join me. What a joy it was to create robes and other clothing to give to the needy. We had quite a circle of women who would meet at my home for that purpose. Those were the same ones who were wailing and mourning my death as the Apostle Peter entered my home. Now death comes to all. I didn't mind dying, for I knew I would be with Jesus. But God had other plans in mind. Peter, in earnest - note he used this key element in prayer - got down on his knees and sought God's will. Then he said, "Tabitha," that's my Aramaic name, "Tabitha, get up." Well, that was quite a shock. But God wasn't finished with me yet. I guess he wanted to use me as an example of seeking him earnestly and of challenging others to mission. Be earnest in prayer, ladies, and then go out and do. May you have long lives lived in service to God as answer to prayer. Amen.
Narrator: Elijah was a human being like us. He prayed earnestly that it not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain. Jesus was a human being like us. In the Garden he prayed earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. Dorcas and Peter were humans like us who earnestly prayed and asked God to use them. God desires us as human beings to be in communion with him - earnestly to seek him through prayer. We may not be great people doing great deeds in our little corners of the world, but through earnest prayer great things will happen because of our participation with God in prayer.
The puzzle is almost complete and its mystery is close to being revealed to us today. P - praise; R - repentance; A - ask; Y - yield; E - earnest; and finally, we hear from Mary Magdalene, one who received so much from her God through prayer.
Mary Magdalene: (enters with the final puzzle piece marked "R") Yes, I place the final piece into our puzzle - "R" which stands for "receive." God was so good to me, a sinner. The life I had led certainly would have set your fine tongues to wagging, sisters. But after encountering Jesus, I repented of my sins and received his love and acceptance. I'm sure that if that community of disciples had not been instructed by Jesus that he came for all - the sick especially - and, boy, was I one sick soul, they wouldn't have received me so well. I praised the God of my salvation as I asked to be part of their fellowship, to serve Jesus in whatever way I could. I earnestly sought to live a new life. But I had to be open to God, to receive. That meant I received the jeers of those in my former life. My old quote/unquote "friends" really gave me the berries. "Holy Mary," they would tease. But to whom much is given, much is asked. Sure, their comments hurt. When I tried to share Jesus' love with them, they laughed and turned away. But I persevered in prayer for their souls and continued to forgive and to love. I received so many answers to prayer. The greatest was seeing Jesus alive again. My heart overflowed as I gazed upon the Lord, receiving him once again as my risen Lord and Savior. Be open, ladies, to receive all that God has for you. And remember, eye has not seen nor ear has heard of those things which God has in store for you as you love and serve him. Take the mission of prayer seriously, but be free to trust in God to answer in his time and in his ways. Take all the pieces of prayer you have heard about today, and go out and practice them daily. What blessings and insights God will give. Be open and receive. In the name of Jesus, through whom all prayer is made. Amen.
Narrator: The last piece of our puzzle is in place. And what does it spell? PRAYER. These are but six aspects of prayer which we hope will enhance your prayer life, and help you along the way. PRAISE, REPENTANCE, ASK, YIELD, EARNEST, and RECEIVE. Prayer is a special gift from God. It is a mystery how it works, but it works to bring about God's plan. God does not ask us to figure out the mystery of prayer. He just asks us to pray. This Lent, let us make prayer a top priority in our lives. Be Miriams - praise and thank God for all he has done and is doing. Be Job's wife - repent of your foolish ways and seek God's grace and mercy. Be Hannahs and ask - place your petitions before God and seek his perfect will. Be like Mary, the mother of Jesus, yield to that will and God's plan. Be earnest in prayer like Dorcas and do - don't just speak. Finally, be Mary Magdalenes and receive. May the "shalom," the peace of Jesus, be with you as you pray. Amen.
Bulletin:
Participants
A worship leader
A reader (Philippians 4:4--9)
* Optional leaders (4)
*To involve more people the leader's parts for Adoration, Con--fession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication may be assigned to individuals.
Hymns
"O Savior, Precious Savior" [ANGEL STORY] or
"Crown Him With Many Crowns" [DIADEMATA]
"O God, Our Help in Ages Past" [ST. ANNE]
"What a Friend We Have In Jesus" [CONVERSE]
"He Leadeth Me, Oh Blessed Thought"
This resource is designed for Lent, but may be used during Advent. Change bulletin and select songs appropriate for the season.
Skit:
Participants
Narrator Miriam
Job's wife Hannah
Mary Dorcas
Mary Magdalene
Props
Each character brings in one piece of the puzzle and places it on a poster or props it up in front of the audience. Miriam carries "P" - praise. Job's wife carries "R" - repentance. Hannah carries "A" - ask. Mary, Jesus' mother, carries "Y" - yielding. Dorcas carries "E" - earnest. Mary Magdalene carries "R" - receive. Cut out the pieces to fit together as a puzzle.
Dress the characters in costume for authenticity.
Bulletin
A Journey With Prayer
A Lenten Observance
Welcome And Greetings
Call To Begin The Journey
L: As pilgrims on a journey of faith, we look for God's guidance in all the seasons of our lives. Lent is a special season in the life of the church to listen to the One who guides us on that journey. We call upon the Holy Spirit to be present now as we begin our journey with prayer.
C: Come, Holy Spirit, and reveal the mystery of prayer. Amen.
Hymn "O Savior, Precious Savior"
or "Crown Him With Many Crowns"
Adoration
The First Step In Prayer
L: We step toward God in prayer through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
C: We praise you, Jesus, our Savior and King.
L: As we delight ourselves in Jesus, God will give us the desires of our hearts.
C: We adore you, Jesus, our heart's desire.
L: As we call to God in times of trouble, the Lord promises to rescue those who honor him.
C: We praise you, O God, for your deliverance.
L: Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray.
C: We praise you for hearing our call at all times, gracious Lord.
L: As we ask using the name of Jesus, we receive. As we seek God's will in Christ, we will find. As we knock at the door of heaven in prayer, Jesus will open the door and be present in all situations.
C: We praise you, great God, for hearing our prayers, for we pray in the name above all names, Jesus, our Lord and our King! Amen.
Confession
The Second Step In Prayer
L: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Confessing our sins prepares us to approach God in prayer. Let us examine our hearts in silence and make our confessions known unto God who forgives. (Silence for examination.)
L: Jesus tells us that if we abide in him, and his words abide in us, whatever we ask for in prayer will be done for us.
C: Forgive us for neglecting the study of your Word, O God.
L: The Word tells us to have confidence in the fact that if we ask anything according to God's will, he will hear us.
C: Forgive us for not trusting in your will for our lives, Holy God.
L: And if we know that God hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests we have asked for.
C: Forgive us for not seeing and receiving your answers, O God.
L: If those people called by God's name humble themselves, and pray, and seek God's face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will God hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.
C: Forgive us our lack of humility and our trust in other things besides you, O God. Teach us to pray and to seek your face as we turn from our sinful ways. Forgive our sins and heal our souls. For we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
L: Almighty God hears our cries and extends mercy to all who believe. In Christ Jesus, who died for our sins, we have forgiveness. To those who believe in Jesus, God gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Thanksgiving
The Third Step In Prayer
Reading Philippians 4:4--9
L: God's Word tells us to rejoice and be thankful. Let us raise our voices and declare thanks to a God who has helped in the ages past and is present now to do likewise.
Hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
Skit "The Puzzle of Prayer"
L: As we have heard from women who have seen God at work through prayer, let us look to the one friend we have who answers all our prayers and sing his praise in song. As we sing, we will collect our offering as a response to God's love shown us in Jesus.
Hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
(Offering collected)
Supplication
The Fourth Step In Prayer
L: As we have taken the steps to God in prayer of A - adoration, C - confession, T - thanksgiving, we make our final step S - supplication or intercession. We will now lift before God the prayers of our community. Let us rise and pray.
L: Jesus, we thank you that we can take everything to you in prayer. Thank you for being with our fellowship and worship today. Continue to call us to prayer. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: Holy Spirit, you breathe life into your body, the Church, and build communities of faith. Thank you for this community that we live in and for each community of faith represented. Continue to reveal yourself to us as we pray. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: Mighty God, we know you are present and moving in our lives and in our families. Continue to help us to be witnesses to the faith we have that you hear and answer our prayers. Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: We pray now as a body lifting up to you our special prayers of intercession. (Community is invited to pray for special needs.) Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
L: The Lord has heard our prayers. Be at peace knowing that God is at work. We close with the prayer our Lord taught us to pray as we go forth to live that prayer in our world.
The Lord's Prayer
Benediction
L: Go forth as you continue your Lenten journey challenged by God to take time with him in prayer. Take every thought you have and make it a prayer. Wherever you go be in the attitude of prayer. Take God's hand and let him guide you as you go forth in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C: O God, lead us in prayer and acts of your love done in Christ's name. We praise you for your guiding hand, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn "He Leadeth Me, Oh, Blessed Thought"
Program
The Puzzle Of Prayer
Narrator: The noun "puzzle" can be defined as a toy or device created to test one's ingenuity. The verb "puzzle" means to bewilder mentally, or to disturb or baffle. God has given us a "puzzle" to occupy us today. That puzzle is prayer. In our journey, we will try to put together the pieces of this puzzle called prayer as we listen to six women from the Bible share their insights into this great mystery. God desires that prayer not baffle us. This program hopes to challenge each of you to explore its great mystery. Allow God to speak to your hearts on how you might go about enriching your own personal prayer lives. Our first piece to this puzzle is put into place by a woman from the Old Testament, Miriam.
Miriam: (enters and places a puzzle piece labeled "P" before the audience) Good morning, ladies. What a fine day to be with you. Mornings like this, when the community is gathered to praise and give thanks to God for his great and wonderful works, are special blessings. I remember one morning, though, when my heart ached as I watched my mother, Jochebed, place my baby brother, Moses, into a basket and hide it in the reeds along the Nile. Tears ran down her face as she committed her infant to God's care. Under the decree of Pharaoh, Hebrew boy babies were to be put to death at birth. But the midwives who tended our women were compassionate and helped them to flee with their newborns. We had hidden little Moses for three months, but now we could hide him no longer. What an answer to prayer we received as Pharaoh's daughter saw the basket and took Moses to be her own child. I ran forward to suggest a wet nurse for the baby. Pharaoh's daughter smiled at me. She knew I would place the baby with his own mother. After he was weaned, Moses went to court to be raised as an Egyptian. That was frightening for us, his family. You mothers who have sent children off to the big city or college can probably relate to how we felt. We offered prayers of praise and thanksgiving for God's care of this child. Even when circumstances looked like we had lost him to the gods of Egypt and the court, we praised God for accomplishing his plan in the life of Moses. And look what happened! Who would have believed that this baby, little Moses, would grow up to be the deliver of the nation Israel?
Prayer - a puzzle. The first piece of our puzzle concerns "praise." True praise and thanksgiving flow out of a recognition of the graciousness of God. By faith we believe God will act on our behalf. We praise God for who he is and for what he has done. I sang my praise to God after watching Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen enter the Red Sea. I took my tambourine, lifted it high, and praised God in song: "Sing to the Lord, for God is highly exalted. The horse and its rider, the Lord has hurled into the sea." (Shakes tambourine if she has one.) Praise - praise to an Almighty and Holy God who is doing great things. Praise is the first piece of our puzzle. Praise is the cornerstone of prayer. Praise God!
Narrator: Praise - a key ingredient in our prayer lives. Like Miriam and her mother, we often look at circumstances and feel defeated. Praising God in the midst of our difficult situations pleases the Almighty. For it is when we radically depend on God to act that the Lord can really move. Who would have believed that a little child would lead a nation to freedom in such a spectacular way as Moses did? Another mother looked upon her little child lying in a manger and beheld the glory of God. She praised God for this precious life. As she beheld that child, now a man, crucified, her heart broke. Yet praise she offered to God that his plan of salvation was complete. Let us incorporate praise into our lives of prayer. Now we will hear from our second woman from the Old Testament, Job's wife.
Job's Wife: (enters carrying a puzzle piece marked "R") Suffering, you can have it. Sorrow and suffering are not my choice of companions in life. I was really up front with that husband of mine. "Job," I said, as he sat there in the ashes scraping his sores with a piece of broken pottery, "Job, are you still holding on to your integrity? Just curse God and die." Now the Hebrew word for this is actually bless. I was being sarcastic. We had lost all our financial assets - our donkeys, sheep, camels - all our wealth - poof! Then our children. Oh, the pain. And then, Job's health took a drastic dive. That man of mine just looked at me as if I was morally deficient. I can still hear his words, "You're talking like a foolish woman. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" That really cut me to the quick. I was always ready to praise God in the good times, but it was really difficult to praise him in the tough ones. This caused me to pull up and examine my heart. I had to do some serious repenting for not trusting that God would be with me in both times. We live in a world full of sin and brokenness. Bad things do happen. But I praise God that as I sin, I can turn to him for forgiveness. That is what is called repentance, the second piece of our puzzle of prayer. We come to God with repentant hearts, honestly confessing our sins, and asking God to forgive. Then he restores us to a right relationship with himself once again. The rest of my story speaks for that restoration, for God blessed us with more wealth than we ever had before and seven sons and three daughters. And let me tell you, ladies, nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and Job gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. In my day that is real answer to prayer. Shalom. God's peace be with you as you place "repentance" into your own prayer puzzles.
Narrator: We are those daughters of Job who are beautiful in God's sight, for he has blessed us with a great inheritance also. In Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins and are reconciled to the Father because of Christ's death and resurrection. The key is repentance, turning from sin, and embracing God's love as found in Jesus Christ. So, let's look at our third puzzle piece brought to us by Hannah.
Hannah: (enters with third puzzle piece marked "A") I sure can relate to those first two women, as I'm sure you all can too. Praising God in the good times - I did that on my wedding day. What a celebration we had in that hill country of Ephraim. I made a beautiful bride, if I say so myself. Elkanah was a fine man even if he did have another wife. It was a custom in our times - I think thought up and ordained by males. This custom was hard to live with. Wife #2, Peninnah, was a real pain to me. Did you ever have someone who loved to irritate you? She had lots of children by Elkanah, but I had none. She delighted in rubbing salt into my wound. It was hard to forgive her for her cruel treatment. And that man of mine, "Don't you love me more than the idea of having a baby?" That was not the point. I loved God above all else, and I desired to express my love for him in life - raising a baby! So, I had to do a lot of repenting as I went up to Shiloh to make sacrifice. As I stood up pouring out all the bitterness of my soul to God, the priest Eli thought I was drunk. He watched me carefully as I sought God's will asking for a child. Misery and bitterness can be blockages to prayer. Repenting, I took the next step and asked God for a child. But because I knew that it would take a miracle from God to open my womb, I wanted to give glory to God for the answer. So I promised to give that child back to him. I kept that vow. Now all of you who do not know that God has a plan for your lives, listen up. Ask God to reveal it. Ask - the third part of prayer. I asked, and God rewarded me with a son, Samuel, and I kept my vow. That little child, like Moses, had a part in God's plan. He was to find and anoint the King of Israel, David. Samuel was a prophet/priest in Israel leading them under God's Spirit to repent of their sin. God wants you to ask. Don't think anything is too small or insignificant. He heard the desire of my heart because I expressed it. Go and express your desires to God in prayer. Ask and you will receive. Amen - so be it.
Narrator: God's Word tells us we have not because we ask not. It also declares whatever we ask for we will receive. Sometimes, however, we do not ask aright. Sometimes, we have other motives. Hannah asked out of a heart filled with love for God and after repenting. We ask according to God's will and through Jesus Christ. Praise - Repentance - Ask. Let's find out what our fourth piece of the puzzle of prayer is as we hear from Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Mary: (enters bringing a puzzle piece marked "Y") I can really relate to Hannah. Every Hebrew woman desired a son, to pass on the blessing of heritage for her husband. To be barren caused great pain then, as it does today for so many. But I wasn't even married yet. I was just betrothed when the angel Gabriel came and announced that I had found favor in God's eyes. That was good news. God thought highly of me, as he does each of you. But he certainly was asking a lot. What would I say to Joseph? What would my family think? Pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Right! Yet every Hebrew girl desired to have such favor - to be the mother of Messiah. That was a prayer on most of our lists. So here God came with the answer. What else could I do? I had prayed to God, praising him for his holiness. I repented of my sins; yes, I am a sinner too. I needed a savior just like all of you. And I had asked to be God's handmaiden. Now here was a messenger from the Lord asking my permission to have the life of God's own Son planted in my womb. My answer: I yield to you, O God. The fourth element of prayer, a yielded heart. God desires us to surrender, to lay down our tools of rebellion, to seek his will and not our own. My Son displayed this in his prayer in the Garden of Geth--semane, "Not my will, but yours, O God, be done." He yielded to God's plan; he yielded to the Cross. His submission brought salvation to all as he answered the Father's call. God called me to birth Jesus. My answer to God: "May it be to me as you have said." God seeks yielding from those who pray. Don't fight God's will. Trust that he knows best and yield to God's plan for your lives. May the glory of the Lord shine in your hearts as you let him plant the life of Jesus within. Shalom.
Narrator: God had a plan for each of the women you hear from today. Mary's example of a surrendered life speaks to God's desire to have us yield to his divine will. Mary quoted much of Hannah's song of praise as she magnified the Lord for what he would accomplish through her yielding. Their hearts and souls rejoiced in God, their Savior, for they submitted to his lordship. God calls us in prayer to surrender to Jesus, to place him on the thrones of our lives, to yield, letting him have his way in our hearts. Next we will hear from Dorcas who brings puzzle piece number 5.
Dorcas: (enters with puzzle piece #5 marked "E") Death has a way of stopping one in one's tracks. It's something we all share in common. When my life was over, my friends paid me high tribute. They mourned, but they also took pride in what I had earnestly done in service for God. That's our next element of prayer. Be "earnest." Just don't "talk the talk" with God. In other words, you can praise God, repent of your sins, ask and yield, but if you never take action on anything, that is, go about doing God's work in earnestness, you miss the mark. Being earnest is treating things as important. Prayer is not a trivial matter. I got down to business. I looked around in my city of Joppa and saw a great need. I earnestly sought God in how to meet that need. Then any way I could, I reached out to the poor with action. I encouraged others to join me. What a joy it was to create robes and other clothing to give to the needy. We had quite a circle of women who would meet at my home for that purpose. Those were the same ones who were wailing and mourning my death as the Apostle Peter entered my home. Now death comes to all. I didn't mind dying, for I knew I would be with Jesus. But God had other plans in mind. Peter, in earnest - note he used this key element in prayer - got down on his knees and sought God's will. Then he said, "Tabitha," that's my Aramaic name, "Tabitha, get up." Well, that was quite a shock. But God wasn't finished with me yet. I guess he wanted to use me as an example of seeking him earnestly and of challenging others to mission. Be earnest in prayer, ladies, and then go out and do. May you have long lives lived in service to God as answer to prayer. Amen.
Narrator: Elijah was a human being like us. He prayed earnestly that it not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain. Jesus was a human being like us. In the Garden he prayed earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. Dorcas and Peter were humans like us who earnestly prayed and asked God to use them. God desires us as human beings to be in communion with him - earnestly to seek him through prayer. We may not be great people doing great deeds in our little corners of the world, but through earnest prayer great things will happen because of our participation with God in prayer.
The puzzle is almost complete and its mystery is close to being revealed to us today. P - praise; R - repentance; A - ask; Y - yield; E - earnest; and finally, we hear from Mary Magdalene, one who received so much from her God through prayer.
Mary Magdalene: (enters with the final puzzle piece marked "R") Yes, I place the final piece into our puzzle - "R" which stands for "receive." God was so good to me, a sinner. The life I had led certainly would have set your fine tongues to wagging, sisters. But after encountering Jesus, I repented of my sins and received his love and acceptance. I'm sure that if that community of disciples had not been instructed by Jesus that he came for all - the sick especially - and, boy, was I one sick soul, they wouldn't have received me so well. I praised the God of my salvation as I asked to be part of their fellowship, to serve Jesus in whatever way I could. I earnestly sought to live a new life. But I had to be open to God, to receive. That meant I received the jeers of those in my former life. My old quote/unquote "friends" really gave me the berries. "Holy Mary," they would tease. But to whom much is given, much is asked. Sure, their comments hurt. When I tried to share Jesus' love with them, they laughed and turned away. But I persevered in prayer for their souls and continued to forgive and to love. I received so many answers to prayer. The greatest was seeing Jesus alive again. My heart overflowed as I gazed upon the Lord, receiving him once again as my risen Lord and Savior. Be open, ladies, to receive all that God has for you. And remember, eye has not seen nor ear has heard of those things which God has in store for you as you love and serve him. Take the mission of prayer seriously, but be free to trust in God to answer in his time and in his ways. Take all the pieces of prayer you have heard about today, and go out and practice them daily. What blessings and insights God will give. Be open and receive. In the name of Jesus, through whom all prayer is made. Amen.
Narrator: The last piece of our puzzle is in place. And what does it spell? PRAYER. These are but six aspects of prayer which we hope will enhance your prayer life, and help you along the way. PRAISE, REPENTANCE, ASK, YIELD, EARNEST, and RECEIVE. Prayer is a special gift from God. It is a mystery how it works, but it works to bring about God's plan. God does not ask us to figure out the mystery of prayer. He just asks us to pray. This Lent, let us make prayer a top priority in our lives. Be Miriams - praise and thank God for all he has done and is doing. Be Job's wife - repent of your foolish ways and seek God's grace and mercy. Be Hannahs and ask - place your petitions before God and seek his perfect will. Be like Mary, the mother of Jesus, yield to that will and God's plan. Be earnest in prayer like Dorcas and do - don't just speak. Finally, be Mary Magdalenes and receive. May the "shalom," the peace of Jesus, be with you as you pray. Amen.
